Welcome to Gaia! ::

"What the hell IS it with you people and this house?" Meka asked when he reached the end of Neko's driveway, his tail swishing against the back of his legs like a furry pendulum. "This is the third time I've had to bring somebody here."

"I'm going to be staying here for the weekend, if all goes well." Globin answered quietly. "If not...I think I remember the way back." His mind was going in ten directions at once. Coming here had been an impulse decision after learning that he would be left alone in the house for the weekend and that Karma had planned to bring everybody but him to the convention she was attending.

It both was a relief and a sadness to him...a relief that he would not have to panic in a crowded setting, but it saddened him to feel left out, good intentions or not. "Thank you, Meka. I don't think I would have found it on my own." he said, flitting off of the raccoonshounen's shoulder and heading for the door.

Meka said nothing, rolling his eyes and sauntering off, clearly done with the entire ordeal and just wanting to get back to what he'd been doing before Globin had asked him for a ride over. As he moved out of sight, Globin arrived at Neko's front door and hesitated, cringing. Was this really a good idea...? Well, too late now. He'd already come this far. And--and he had to face things at some point, didn't he?

Steeling himself, he pressed his weight against the doorbell, his stomach fluttering and clenching.

For a long moment, Globin had been answered by silence, almost as if no one was home. Though, if one listened carefully, the little feien might have heard incredibly soft footsteps make their way to the door. Unlatching the lock from inside, the half elven woman slowly opening the door a crack after turning the knob, and peeked outside. At first, her blue eyes hadn't noticed a thing until she just about closed the door, when she noticed the black color floating in midair. Looking again, she opened the door a little more after realizing that the creature looked quite similar to Neko's feien.

"May I help you?" Sora asked softly, wondering if the fairies upstairs knew of this one.

Globin blinked up at Sora, immediately clamming up in the presense of the stranger. "I--" he cleared his throat "I'm a friend of Merrimack's..." he managed in a meek tone. Oh gods...if he was this bad with someone he didn't even know, he had no idea how he would actually handle dealing with Merrimack all weekend.

"Is--Is he here, ma'am?" he asked, wringing his hands and fighting his fight-or-flight telling him that flight, at the moment, was very appealing.

Sora smiled a little bit, feeling a bit of relief. At least it wasn't a complete stranger...

"Yes, he is," she replied, opening the door a little more for the feien and stepping off to the side. "If you go up these stairs and go down the hall, there's a room at the end on the right. The door should be open."

Globin drew in a breath and hovered past the threshold of the door, realizing he was now beyond the point of no return. Well....good. Good, he reasoned. That meant he hadn't cowered out of doing it like he feared he might.

"Thank you, ma'am." he said, bowing his head politely, eyeing the stairs and then starting up them, heading down the hall as Sora had indicated and to the door which was, indeed, open.

He hovered in one place for a long moment, thinking hard, trying to push his second, third, and fourth thoughts out of his head before heading forward and pausing at the open door's edge, rapping on it softly twice to announce his presense in case someone didn't want him there as his eyes scanned the room.

"Raylan, how many times do I have to tell you that you don't have to knock when you come into the room?" Ares sighed, standing up on the desk, her back toward the door. She was about to unfold her black and blue wings when another voice had piped up.

Raylan curiously sat up from his spot on the bed, placing his feet together and tucking them in close to himself as he hunched over a little, peering at the black and red feien at the door. He was awfully pretty to be a stranger, and he looked rather uncomfortable. A part of him wondered if something was wrong, and if there was anything he could do to help.

"It wasn't me, Mama," he said loud enough for the other feien to hear. "I think we have a visitor."

Ares' ears twitched a little bit before she turned around to see the unfamiliar feien at the door.

"A vis--... Hello," she said rather softly before lifting her wings off her shoulders and stepping closer to the edge of the desk. "Who might you be?"

Globin flinched, realizing he didn't recognize either of them. Perhaps he had the wrong room...? "I'm--I'm--" he swallowed, giving himself a hard inward kick in the rear. Focus, dammit. "My name is Globin." he got out. There. Had that been so hard? "I'm....trying to find Merrimack. I didn't mean to interrupt anything, I assure you..."

His red-tipped wings, still spanned behind him, fidgeted and curled a bit.

Ares stayed quiet for a moment, blinking her three red eyes once, then twice as she took in the information. Globin? The same Globin Merrimack had taken such a liking to? Stepping off of the desk, the time feien took flight over to the scared feien, wanting to take a closer look at him. Immediately, she'd begun to notice something as she flew closer; a horn similar to Tosten's, black and red markings like Tahki's, and white hair like Shalafi's. Truly it was merely coincidence, but the feien also happened to be just about all of Merrimack's favorite colors... She couldn't help but wonder if those might have been factors as to why her son liked this one so much.

"We're not going to hurt you, child," she said softly, glancing over toward Raylan for a moment. "That one might try to bombard you with questions, but we don't bite. My name is Ares... I'm Merri's mother."

Raylan smiled happily from his spot, his wings twitching a little bit. "I'm Raylan! Wow...I can see why Merri talks about you so much, Globin," he stated, grabbing onto his feet. "You're really p--"

"Raylan, why don't you go get Merri? I think he'd hiding in Neko's room."

"Yes ma'am!" The white and black feien stood up quickly and flitted out of the room, flying down the hall a little bit to zip into another room.

Globin's balance canted a bit as Raylan zipped past him, aware that his cheeks had grown warm from the almost-praise before Ares had stopped him. He then turned his attention back to the blue/black feien, drifting a little further into the room.

"Ares." he repeated, allowing himself a fractured smile. "Its a pleasure to meet you, ma'am. Merri's told me much about you." He really didn't know what else to add to that, and so he said nothing for a moment, his posture a bit awkward and his wings fidgeting. It wasn't Ares making him nervous, it was knowing that Raylan had gone to fetch Merri and he would be here soon.

"I'm sorry to come over unannounced..." he continued. "If I prove to be a problem, I'll go, but my bond has left for a convention this weekend and she's taken Talon and Berra with her. If---there are no objections, I'd hoped to spend some time with Merri until they come back." He assumed Ares was more appropriate to ask this of as she was Merri's mother and carried more authority.

Ares noticed Globin's fidgeting, taking note of how nervous the other had seemed to be. Perhaps it would be best to leave him be for a moment... Running her fingers through her short blue hair, she rested her hand on the back of her neck.

"You really don't need to ask, child," she said simply. "Our bonded is away as well, but we have Sora and Juubei here to watch after us in the meantime. I doubt Tahki or Raylan would mind you being here at all, and...Merri should be quite pleased."

Globin's ears, in spite of himself, perked at her last statement. "Should he...?" he asked, his voice cracking and momentarily becoming a squeak as he impatiently cleared it. "I mean, thank you, Ares." he quickly corrected himself. "I appreciate this very much."

Had Merri even bothered telling the others about him, he wondered? He must have, if Ares had recognized him...and if she had said he would be pleased to see him....but, then, perhaps she assumed that about anyone who came to visit Merrimack as well. She was his mother, after all, and was probably happy whenever company came by for her son.

Ares glanced past Globin for a moment before turning her red eyes back to the other feien. "I should go check up on Tahki... Make sure she isn't causing chaos with the cerebri," she sighed lightly, floating a little closer to the feien.

Before moving by him, the adult feien lifted a hand and placed it gently on the blood feien's shoulder. Leaning in close to his ear, she whispered quietly, "Take care of my son for me." Releasing him, she looked up at the figure now behind Globin before turning the corner to make her way down the hall.

Globin blinked, bewildered by the time feien's statement. Take care of him...? What...? He blinked, turning to track her as she left, meaning to ask her what she meant, and instead started a bit as he realized someone was behind him.

Merrimack blinked a few times as he looked down at Globin, scratching behind his ear a little bit. "I see you've met my mother..." he stated rather obviously, lowering his hand to his side. His wings drooped down slightly as he floated in the air, giving himself a little more balance. "Not...that I mind, but what brings you here?"

Raylan folded his hands behind his back as his green eyes watching the black and red feien, hoping he'd be allowed to stay. He'd never met another feien before... Well, not any that didn't live in this house. He only had listened intently to Tahki telling him about some of the others that she knew and about his father, patiently waiting for the day that he'd be able to get out of the house.

"I--uhm..." he chided himself inwardly. Stop it...it was just Merri. His friend. His feelings didn't make the taller feien into some sort of unapproachable monster. "Karma's taken Talon and Kookaberra with her to a convention for the weekend." he explained. "She had intended on leaving me home alone and--and I'm no good on my own. I-If no one here minded, I thought....perhaps, I could--" he realized his hands were fidgeting and stuffed them behind his back.

Occasionally his gaze flickered to Raylan, quite sure he'd never seen this boy before and wondering where he'd come from. There was something about him that was itchingly familiar.

"I don't see anything wrong with that," he shrugged before glancing down at Raylan. His wings twitched a little bit as he watched the smaller feien for a moment, crossing his arms over his chest.

Raylan continued to look at Globin and smile, wanting to be polite and not speak unless he was spoken to. He didn't even seem to notice the annoyed look the much taller feien was giving him.

Merrimack's eyes twitched slightly. "Okay, brat. You can go now."

The dual-elemental feien's ears lowered a little bit. "What? I can't stay?" he questioned, frowning a little bit.

"Out. Now. GO." Merrimack ordered.

Raylan childishly stuck out his tongue at the memory feien before bowing a little bit to Globin, and turning to head down the hall. Perhaps he'd see him again later...

Globin flinched a little as Raylan left, pausing a long moment before reaching up to tuck a stray lock of hair behind his ear, looking at Merri questioningly. "Who was that...?" he asked, blinking. For a moment, as long as the subject wasn't focused on the two of them, he began to relax a bit. Maybe he just needed time to get used to being in Merri's company after so much mental anguish over this.

Merrimack sighed lightly, his wings twitching slightly behind him as he inspected the hallway to make sure the others were actually gone. He hated when they spied on him, which they tended to do when he wanted to be alone.

"That would be Raylan," he muttered softly, floating into the room and landing on the bedpost nearby. "One of Tahki's little hellspawn... He's not really so bad, but he can get a little annoying when something new is around. In this case, someone."

"Oh." Globin said simply, hesitating and hovering nearby, unsure if he ought to join Merri or not. "He--he -does- resemble Talon a bit, I suppose, now that I think about it." He offered a strained smile. "Kookaberra seems to take moreso after her mother..."

"Who is Kookaberra, anyway?" he said, raising a brow. He'd heard the name, but didn't think about questioning it at first. "Not another one, is it?"

"She's the result of the bloom Talon kept." he explained. "And yes, another one." in spite of himself, he felt a smirk tug at the corners of his mouth just a bit. "....four in total, from what I've heard, gods save us all. But...for what its worth, she's a very sweet girl. She doesn't seem to particularly take after her mother -or- father in attitude."

Nevertheless, Merrimack was still skeptical. "I'll have to try to stay clear of her... I can't explain why, but it just bothers me that Tahki's a mother now. It feels weird having a child around again, to be honest. I feel like something's expected of me, even though I know it's not," he said before lifting into the air and flitting toward the desk. That rest was just what he needed.

Globin nodded, deciding that the subject had been closed. He didn't share Merri's feelings about Berra, but thought better of arguing. It likely ran deeper than he thought other than simple superficial dislike for Tahki's children. Maybe he'd liked Tahki at some point...?

At the thought of it a mild possessive shiver ran through him and he sickly pushed it away, feeling more conscious of himself than ever. Oh gods, maybe he -shouldn't- have come...not if the feelings he'd promised himself he'd keep under wraps were already trying to rear their head.

Drawing a breath, he forced himself forward to land on the edge of the desk so he wouldn't seem distant. "I...I hope I haven't interfered with any plans for your weekend by coming." he spoke up at last.

The tall feien stared down at Globin a bit blankly, his red wings drooping down limply behind him. "Of course not," he assured him with a shrug, looking behind himself for a moment before resting down into a sit. "I never really MAKE any plans... Not unless I decide to go outside somewhere."

"Good." the blood feien nodded. "I just...I thought--I--" he cut himself off, realizing he was stammering. Clearing his throat, he tried a different angle. "Perhaps---you and I could read together a bit, then..." he offered, thinking a moment and then making an amendment. "....n-not tonight, but...tomorrow?"

He was learning quickly that stress not only ate at your insides, but wore you down quickly as well. Maybe -that- was why Merri was tired all of the time...given the afternoon and evening of agonizing he'd forced upon himself before even making the decision that he was going to Neko's, he felt ready to curl up in a tight ball of feathers and go to sleep somewhere.

"Tomorrow sounds good," he agreed, nodding a little bit. "Maybe we can pick up Romeo and Juliet again, since we never did get around to finishing it."

He hated leaving things unfinished, believe it or not. It actually bothered him that they never got a chance to continue that day, given the circumstance of his growing so suddenly. Even if it was a month later, that was no excuse.

"Romeo and Juliet. Yes." Globin nodded in agreement, though his hands fidgeted. It was nothing, he told himself...simply the first play they'd chosen to read and never finished. It had nothing to do with the current situation.

"I'll--be sure to ask you tomorrow then." he added, hiding his hands behind his back then. "I imagine it might take the both of us to figure out where exactly it was we stopped the last time..."

Merrimack had to think about that for a moment. "More than likely," he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "But, it shouldn't be too hard, hm? I'm sure we'll remember as we go through it."

Nodding, Globin felt a yawn creak his jaws open before he could stop it, and stifled it behind his hands. "Sorry." he muttered when he'd recovered, not having wanted to seem rude on top of everything else. He kept feeling like Merri had noticed his overly-jittery behavior by now and would call him out on it at any moment. "Well, I'm sure we'll remember the scenes we -have- done...that's a start, at least..."

"Tired?" Merrimack commented, deciding to leave the subject where it was. Had it been anyone else, the feien would have cared less. However, this was his closest friend, and making him feel comfortable within his home would probably be the best thing for him to do. After all, he'd been so considerate during his stay at Karma's himself...

Globin nearly protested and insisted that he wasn't, but...he felt that would only be inviting disaster. And if things kept on at the awkward clip they were currently at, they may end up in a very disagreeable place indeed by the end of the night.

"....I suppose I am." he admitted, sounding a bit embarrassed at himself.

The memory feien's three eyes turned toward the open window for a moment, a lone pixafox sleeping on the windowsill. "You could stay in Neko's room, if you'd like," he offered, looking back to Globin. "It's a bit warmer in there, and it'll be a lot quieter since everyone else sleeps in here."

"If...you're certain that would be all right." he nodded, a bit offput by the fact that the alternative would be sharing a room with every feien in Neko's residence. Had it only been Merri who slept here, he'd have wanted to stay.

"It'll be fine. Not like Neko would know, right?" he snorted, smirking slightly. "I stay in there somtimes myself if I think it's too cold in here."

He seemed to hesitate for a moment before continuing. "I...could stay with you, if you'd like."

At this, Globin had to bite his tongue to keep from agreeing too quickly. Yes...he wanted that very much. But was that -right-...? "I..." he swallowed, casting a quick look at his unfamiliar surroundings. He would, no doubt, be flustered and disoriented when he awoke in the morning and had no idea where he was or how to get anywhere. Feeling awkward or not, having Merri nearby would be better.

"Yes." he agreed in a barely-audible voice. "Thank you."

Merrimack lifted himself into the air once more, flapping his wings a little bit to make sure he was sturdy. "Follow me, then," he directed, gliding out of the room and turning in the hallway to make his way toward Neko's room. It was a mere 3 doors away, but the trip still made the poor feien tired lately.

He waited by the open door for a moment, gesturing a hand inside. "Not really any shelves in here," he commented, "but the bed is nice."

Globin hovered up behind Merri, remaining a respectable distance behind him as he peered into the room. He was right...there were no shelves, or protrusions on the wall of any description to sleep on. But...well, he supposed he wasn't opposed to the bed either. The one in Karma's guest room, in the times he'd dared stay there, was more than comfortable.

He looked to Merri and forced a broken smile.

"I'm sure it is." he agreed, waiting for the Memory feien to move first, not really comfortable with venturing into rooms that weren't in his own household. Besides, if he looked tired, Merri already seemed tenfold such and he wanted to ensure his friend got first pick of who was sleeping where. Globin had found, over time, that as long as there was warmth and quiet, he could concievably sleep anywhere.

Merrimack raised a brow as Globin seemed to wait, a bit confused as to why the blood feien didn't actually go into the room. Very well then... he'll lead. Flitting into the room, the memory feien floated over toward the pillow where a thick handkerchief rested, obviously being used as a blanket.

"I find the pillows to be a nice resting spot," he commented, landing carefully on the soft down pillow, retaining his balance as it sunk slightly under his weight. "Perhaps one of the few places I've ever slept so well... Kinda makes me resent needing to get up sometimes, it's so comfortable. When Neko comes back, I'll need to see if she can get me one."

Globin followed behind Merri, landing a short distance from him on the other end of the pillow, his arms pinwheeling a bit to keep his balance as it sank a bit more than he'd expected under his weight. They were much softer than the ones on the guest bed back home and, despite the fact he hadn't laid down yet, could easily see how one would have a hard time wanting to get up after falling asleep here.

"They're very soft." Globin agreed, kneeling on it as he felt his balance threatening to get out from beneath him again and not wanting to give it the chance. He paused a moment, biting his lip "....and thank you for staying with me tonight, Merri. I get nervous in unfamiliar places" As well as familiar, Globin. You're fooling no one. His mind chided him.

"I can understand the feeling," he said honestly, leaning down and picking up one end of the makeshift blanket. "So I don't blame you wanting company. ...It's...nice to have sometimes, after all." A faint blush washed over his cheeks for a moment after thinking about what he'd said, but just as quickly faded away.

Turning around, Merrimack looked down to Globin, his red wings slowly drooping down behind him. "It gets a little cold at night due to the window in the other room being open all the time. I'm not sure where another one of these can be found at the moment, but we could just share a blanket if that's all right."

"That's--" Globin felt warmth in his cheeks and realized he was likely also blushing. "I-Its all right. I don't ordinarily sleep with a blanket." Saying so, his black and red wings ruffled a bit. "Feathers are surprisingly warm...which is a curse in the summertime. I'm told as it gets colder, I'll appreciate them, though." He smiled thinly.

He hesitated, and then scooted over a bit more, just enough to lay parallel to the edge of the handkerchief so Merri would think he was avoiding him. His wings really -were- quite warm and he tended to ball himself up in them when he slept, making blankets feel somewhat smothering.

Merrimack lifted his free hand to rub the back of his neck. The blood feien seemed to be acting a bit strangely today... Perhaps it was just the new surroundings. Shoving the thought aside in his mind, the tall feien carefully layed himself down on the soft pillow so that he could be facing his friend. Closing his third eye, he pulled the blanket around himself, his wings limp behind his back.

"Sleep well, Globin..." he said a bit quietly, closing his eyes to sleep.

"You too, Merri. Goodnight." he whispered, though he didn't close his eyes. In fact, he stayed awake a long time, studying Merri as he slept and finding more and more that what he felt carried definite weight to it. It hadn't simply been his mind feeling obligated to go along with the possibility Berra had presented just because it seemed to make sense in a convoluted way.

He cared for him deeply, he just--hoped that one day he'd be able to find the right words to say as such without upsetting him. At some point, perhaps an hour or so after the two had initially laid down, Globin allowed his eyes to drift closed and sleep to overtake him.

"Come on, come on! We're here, Raylan!"

"Mama, you're too fast..."

"There's no such thing as too fast!" Tahki giggled as she fluttered into the shop after... How long had it been? About two months...? She'd promised to bring Raylan, so here she was! Oh, just wonderful memories... The feien, the shinies, the creepies, and the string! "Besides, I'm a little excited about being able to come here again!"

Raylan floated in a moment behind, his bi-colored wings flapping only a little bit as he used his magic to float around.

"A little excited?" the small feien stated as he raised a brow. "I admit that I was pretty eager myself, but you were practically bouncing off the walls!"

He couldn't help but smile as his green eyes began to take in the details that had been described to him before. It truly was amazing to him, the fact that someone with the attention-span like his mother could actually remember just about everything there was about this one small place. It didn't seem like things really changed too much... The only thing wrong was that the place seemed rather dusty.

"This is where you met Papa, right?" Raylan asked curiously as he floated over toward the counter. Drawing in a deep breath, he blew down hard against the surface, causing the loose particles to rise into the air, and making him cough a little bit from the suddenly dirty air. He touched down lightly, blinking a few times as he noticed a stray black feather sitting back close to the wall. Perhaps someone HAD been here recently, but didn't stay long? "It seems awfully quiet, Mama."

Tahki sighed softly, a little disappointed that the shop was empty. Had she and Talon merely been lucky to have caught Corvus there that day? Flitting over to the counter, she landed a bit clumsily near her son, nearly falling over.

"Yeah... It doesn't seem like many come here anymore," she said a bit sadly, straightening herself up. "Maybe we could wait a little bit? See if anyone might stop by?"

"I like that idea, Mama," Raylan nodded, folding his arms behind his back.

Raphael frowned slightly as he approached the shop. He felt nervous about this whole going-to-the-shop-alone thing, but the house was getting stuffy and Magiale hadn't been home to take him. And Simara...still scared him.
However, flying was tiring. With a swift exhale he folded his wings and fell towards the shop, finally touching down onto the open windowsill. He then walked the rest of the way inside, squinting a bit as the bright warmth of outside changed to the more comforting cold darkness of the shop.
The long distance seemed to finally catch up to him, though, as, with a whirl of dust, he suddenly plopped into a sitting position at the edge of the windowsill, panting and sweating. He didn't notice Raylan or Tahki already in the shop.

Tahki ruffled her feathers a little bit while they waited, her yellow eyes darting around the room as they tried to find a distraction. Waiting was boring... There wasn't really much to do at the shop, and with no one around, that just made it worse. Somethingsomethingsomethingsomet-- Something was moving.

The cold feien glanced toward the window sill as she noticed the dust shift, immediately taking flight as she grew curious.

"Mama?" Raylan questioned before noticing what she was looking at. Oh! A... yellow feien?

Gliding closer to the other feien, she smiled, her extremely long ears perking up slightly. Someone new!

"Hi!" she started, holding questions back for the sake of her son that was trailing behind her. "I don't think I've met you before. My name's Tahki!"

Flapping his wings a little bit as he came to a halt, the black and white feien stuck out his hand while smiling warmly. "My name is Raylan. Who might you be?" he asked politely.

If Raphael hadn't been so tired, he would have jumped at least a foot into the air. He stared up at the two and a deep blush colored his entire face.
"I'm sorry." He mumbled for no particular reason. "I'm Raphael."
His eyes glanced over to Raylan's extended hand with a bit of hesitation. His last experience with shaking someone's hand hadn't exactly been a favorable one.
But he still had to be polite. With a smile he continued,
"Nice to meet you."

Raylan's hand stayed in the air for a moment longer before he put it done, noting that perhaps shaking hands wasn't the other's fancy. No matter, he at least acknowledge his being there.

"And you as well, Raphael," he nodded, folding his arms behind his back again. "What brings you here today?"

"What do you mean you can't carry me any further?! This outrageous! You are my MINION - you do as I tell you!"

"B-b-but -"

"HOW DARE YOU DISRESPECT ME, PAGEBOY!"

With a groan, Nero strumbled on to the windowsill, Div piggybacking on top of him, despite being the larger and the stronger of the two Feien. Exhausted, Nero collaped into a panting heap on the sill, while Div just rolled her eyes and lightly stepped off him.

"C-can I rest?" he gasped, too tired to even twitch.

Div sighed. "I suppose," she conceded, then glanced around her surroundings.

Well, hello. New peasants!

"Good evening, my subjects! Come and introduce yourself to - "

"... Do I really have to say it?"

The look Div gave him answered his question.

"Queen Div." Nero said, pushing himself up into a sitting position.

Div smiled sweetly, though it soon turned into a snarl. "INTRODUCE YOURSELF THUSLY OR SUFFER MY WRATH."

Tahki's attention quickly turned to the familiar voice on the other end of the windowsill. Ooooo, someone she hadn't seen in a really long time! Quickly, the cold feien fluttered over to Nero, picked him up, and hugged him tightly.

"NERO!!" she cried perhaps a little too loudly. "I haven't seen you in forever! How have you been? What are you doing these days? Who's this with you? Is she your girlfriend? How's Gogol?"

He smiled nervously, his eyes falling to Raylan's feet. No use not answering, was there? The other seemed nice enough...
"Well...I came here because..."
As Div and Nero entered, however, Raphael almost did jump a foot into the air. He turned quickly and stared at them, wide eyed.
"..Fresh air." he finished.

Raylan's ears perked up a little bit as he tried to listen to Raphael as the other two had rather comically (to him) burst into the shop. Fresh air...? Well, the air here was a little stale, but... Wait. Perhaps he was thinking too much into what the other feien was saying.

"Well, I certainly hope this trip doesn't scare me..." he couldn't help but comment as he looked to the other two feien. "Have...you met them before? You're the second person I've met outside of my house, so I'm not sure who they are..."

Nero, being a bit weary, merely blinked at Tahki while her list of questions piled higher and higher. After a moment, he smiled. "I've been very well, Miss Tahki, and only getting better."

Per se, anyway.

"These days, I'm doing a lot of reading! And Gogol's been just lovely, he's practicing his handbalancing once more, which is a ton of fun to watch. And this is Div - "

"QUEEN DIV!" Div shrieked, then pointed a finger at Tahki. "You! How DARE you address my page before you address your queen! I am unpleased!"

Nero sighed and offered Tahki a small smile. "Just play along," he whispered into her drooping ear.

Tahki blinked a few times as she stared long and hard at Div. Oh, she had a tail like Ares! But...spikey... And a horn like Tosten! ...But, also spikey. And...she was awfully red. ...Perhaps staring wasn't a good idea.

"She makes my head hurt..." she whined softly, dropping Nero to rub her eyes. "Queen? No, Ares is a queen! ...I think. I don't really know, but I've decided she is one and I'm her knight!"

What a knight she was.

Raphael looked back at Raylan's toes. He was almost certain that this trip would scare him more than it would the other feien.
He shook his head.
"I haven't met many Feien either." was his quiet reply. Somehow he found it was easier to talk when he knew the other could hardly hear him.

Raylan peered back at Raphael, frowning slightly. Was something wrong with him? Or perhaps... Oh! Once again, the dual-element feien smiled warmly, bending his knees a little bit and resting his hands on them. This way, he could look at the other's face a little better.

"If you're scared of them, it's okay," he replied softly, hoping to comfort him. "I won't let them hurt you if they try to, okay?"

Div froze, mouth hanging half-open from being stopped in the middle of a tirade, mismatched eyes bulging.

Suddenly, she straightened. Her tail twitched back and forth between her legs dangerously.

"Excuse me?" she asked softly. "I don't think I heard you correctly, peasant. You dare insinuate that I am not your true queen?"

Ares was a queen?

That was news to Nero.

Did that make him a prince? And... was his father a king? How odd. Nero took it for fiction, rather than truth, and gave Div a soothing smile. "There can be more than queen, Div. After all, there are lots of Feien." he said.

"I am THE ONLY QUEEN DIV!" roared the red Feien.

Tahki's ears perked up slightly. "Yes, the only Queen Div," she agreed, nodding her head. "And Ares is the only Queen Ares!"

Raphael smiled back. That was real nice of Raylan to offer to protect him. Though the closer distance wasn't all that nice. He curled up a bit before answering quietly,
"Okay." He paused. Remember to be polite. "Thanks!"

"I AM THE ONLY QUEEN OF THE FEIEN!" screamed Div, flecks of spit flying out of her mouth. Her wings buzzed into action and she zoomed up to hover face to face with Tahki, eyes wide with rage.

"I shall have you KILLED FOR TREASON if you speak any more slander!"

Nero, always slow on his feet, gradually buzzed his way over to Div. "Calm down," he soothed, placing a hand on her shoulder. "It's only a game."

"A game!? A GAME?!" Div shrilled, turning her fury on Nero. "A game?! I am queen! I was born a queen, I shall die a queen, for I AM QUEEN." Skin shining an even brighter red, Div whirled back around to face Tahki, fists clenched at her side.

"Take. It. Back. And admit that I am the only queen," she spat.

Nero's yellow eyes grew fearful. "Di - er, Queen Div, please, this is rather ridiculous."

"I shall not tolerate any further complaints for you, page! Leave me, or I shall strike you!" she hissed.

The color drained away from Nero's cheeks, but he stayed where he was, ready to protect Tahki if need be.

Red. All Tahki could see was red. Her fist clenched tightly by her side as she suddenly remembered the last person to talk to her in such a tone of voice: Corvus. She was entitled to her opinions, no matter what anyone said, and just because she gave up some things easily didn't mean she had to give up all things. Ares was like a mother to her... And being royal in her eyes, it was like honor to Tahki.

"I won't admit anything," Tahki finally said after taking in a deep breath and releasing it. She loosened her fist, managing a smile. "It's not really good to be selfish, Miss Div. Nor is violence anything good. Maybe if you were nicer, you may end up being a queen somebody and have many people look up to you? However, right now, I can't imagine anyone wanting to do so because of how badly you seem to treat them. A real queen has to give respect in order to earn it herself."

"I am queen," Div whispered, voice suddenly becoming honey-coated and sweet. "Being a queen has nothing to do with having people look up to you - that's nonsense and naivity. To be a queen is to wield power. Power that I HAVE."

Her tone changed, becoming cold, haughty, and threatening. "I am not Miss Div. I am Queen Div. Treason shall not be tolerated. Accept your place as my inferior and my subject and be thankful I don't sign a warrant for your execution right on the spot." she sniffed.

"Really, Div, you're going too far!" protested Nero.

"I told you already: no more!" Div shrieked, and promptly slapped him across the face.

Nero went quiet once more. It didn't hurt, but he was afraid to press the issue further.

Tahki winced slightly as Div slapped Nero across the face, her fingers flinching as she restrained herself from getting angrier. After a moment, she lifted her hand to gently place it on the shorter feien's shoulder, drawing him closer to her for a moment. She could run with no problem if she had to... And she'd want Nero to come with her. She couldn't tolerate her friends getting hurt, especially not a son of Ares.

"I only serve Ares," she said rather sternly, even for herself.

"BLASPHEMY!" Div screamed, a vein popping out on her forehead. "You shall regret the day you crossed Queen Div, mighty queen of the Feien! This Ares you speak of is nothing but an imposter, a pretender to the throne! She shall pay for her crimes!"

Enraged, Nero wrenched himself from Tahki's grasp. "That's my mother you're talking about!" he shouted back. Nero was a laidback, obedient sort - but he couldn't stand to hear Ares insulted like that.

Blushing, Nero looked at Tahki apologetically. He hadn't meant to pull away from her like that, he was just so angry... he hoped she'd understand.

Div's lips slowly uncurled out of their snarl. She seemed calmer now, comforted by the fact that she had succeeded in upsetting at least ONE person, and she tossed her hair lightly. "Hmph. You're lucky I'm feeling generous today. Say thank you, page."

"Thank you," Nero murmured, the words slipping out like poison.

Div tactfully decided to ignore Nero's tone and turned away from then to glance at Raylan. He had yet to introduce himself.

How rude.

"What a bunch of fools my subjects are," she sighed, crossing her arms on her chest.

Tahki frowned a little bit and her ears drooped more than usual. At least she didn't hurt him again. However, she did feel the need to report this to Ares when she got home...

"Can I tell her?" she asked softly to the shorter feien, hoping Div wouldn't hear. She leaned down and rested her knees against the windowsill. "Can I tell Ares?"

Raylan's ears twitched slightly as he didn't turn from Raphael, his green eyes giving the oddly colored feien a sidelong glance. It was in his nature to be friendly and polite, but what could one do about someone who didn't deserve it?

"To be honest, I don't see any of your claimed subjects, and surely they aren't fools," he blinked, not quite understanding. "Do you always make such a ruckus?"

Nero shook his head. "She - she's new. Give her time to adjust, I'm sure she's fine, we're always a bit odd when we first emerge." he replied, smiling patiently.

"You are all my subjects," Div replied sweetly, though her eyes flashed with a hostile light. "And you should be very thankful to serve a queen as wonderful and beautiful as I. Introduce yourself, boy, and I shall see if you are suitable for my court. I like the look of you."

She tapped a finger thoughtfully against her lip and studied him from afar.

Tahki's eyes drifted back to Div before looking to Nero again. "Do we act that bad?" she asked curiously.

Raphael turned around to glance at Div, his eyes wide again. He didn't like the word fool, but talking to this less than kind feien was going to be hard.
"E-excuse me..." he started shyly, his words directed towards Raylan.
"W-what are s-subjects..?" Asking questions was always easier.

Raylan tapped a finger against his chin for a moment as he thought, crossing his other arm cross his chest. Subjects... Well, they were topics, for one. Weren't they items, as well? No, that was object. Oh! Now he remembered!

"Subjects are people that...serve under another, I think," he replied, nodding a little bit.

Raphael nodded back, still confused. However, he could try to understand the whole thing. Talking about actual facts was always easier than talking about feelings and other icky things.
"S-so...Subjects are people who serve under other people, and subjects are fools...so, people who serve under...wait, that isn't right."
He frowned, glanced about and blushed, all at once.

Raylan blinked a few times, lowering his hand to rest on his arm. But...no one's as pretty as Mama Ares... he thought to himself, raising a brow.

"My name is Raylan," he said, instinctively smiling a little bit.

Div slowly floated around him, surveying his three ponytails, the shape of his wings, and his height.

Finally, she came to rest in front of him, eyes full of approval. "You are to be my lord!" Div declared, hands on her hips. "Consider yourself blessed to be in my favor, my Lord Raylan!"

"It's just a phase." Nero said confidently, and went about playing his role once more. "What does your lord do?" he asked.

"Why, marry the queen, of course!"

Raylan twitched slightly, not quite expecting that. Looking over toward his mother, he was as a loss as she merely shrugged and looked a bit helpless. His green eyes, however, fell down to Nero as he approached, remembering how he'd stated Ares to be his mother. That made him related to Merrimack, right? After a moment, his bi-colored wings folded down over his shoulders much in the fashion that Ares' did, drapped like a cape of sorts. Looking to Div, he smiled his usual smile.

"Forgive me for saying, but I'm not quite sure what this marry thing you're speaking of is," he said apologetically. "And, while being a Lord certainly sounds fun, I'm not sure I could be such a thing, whatever it is."

"To marry me means you are completely devoted to me - as you should be already since I am your queen, but even more so. You will be my comfort when the burdens of queenhood become too much for me, and shall do so with one thousand kisses!"

With that, Div pucked her lips towards Raylan and shut her eyes.

"Perhaps you're a bit too young for that," Nero said gently, pulling Div back some.

"HOW DARE YOU TRY TO KEEP ME FROM MY LORD!" Div screeched, eyes snapping open with rage.

Nero had to think fast. "Ah - b-but your lord is not yet ready to receive your favor! He needs to be prepared!"

Div hesitated at that.

Hmm. Point. He did smell a bit... odd.

"Fine." she agreed, scowling. "You may take him off to prepare him."

Rolling his eyes but smiling to himself nonetheless, Nero flitted over to Raylan and extended a delicate hand. "I'm Nero. Er - Div's page."

"QUEEN DIV!"

Raylan took a step back when Div puckered her lips. Kisses... Wasn't that chocolate? No no, wait. It was something people did when they loved each other, wasn't it? He felt a bit of relief as her attention was drawn away for a moment, lifting a hand to rub the back of his neck. His smile returned when Nero stuck out his hand.

"My name is Raylan, in case you hadn't heard. A pleasure to meet you," he said politely, grasping the other's hand and giving one firm shake before letting go. "Mama Ares said she had two other children... I have to say, though, and I mean no offence when I say this, but you're a lot shorter than your brother."

... Mama Ares?

Nero was confused. Why would this new Feien A) know Ares and B) refer to her as "Mama Ares"?

Had Arturo and Ares breeded again? That would certainly explain his father's prolonged absence. Was this his brother? Admittedly, he didn't resemble Ares or Arturo very much; but then again, neither did he.

"Merri's an adult," Nero explained slowly, still puzzling things out. "I'm a juvenile, like yourself."

Truth be told, Raylan was also quite a bit taller than Nero. Sigh.

This couldn't have been another of Ares and Arturo's children. It made no sense. Arturo would've said something.

"Have you met my mother, then?" Nero asked, smiling.

Div, on the other hand, was getting bored.

And when she got bored, she got desperate.

"You!" she cried, pointing at Tahki. "Entertain me."

"Of course!" he smiled, blushing slightly as he thought about the black and blue feien. "Mama Ares helped Mama take care of me. She's going to kind of be my teacher, since Mama doesn't do too well with meditating."

It all made sense to him for a moment, until he realized that Nero seemed rather confused. That's right... The others had told him that not many feien knew Tahki and Talon had bred.

"Mama's over there, actually. You seem to know her quite well."

Tahki's ears perked up a little as she was spoken to, glancing to the left and right before pointing at herself.

"Me?" she questioned, standing up. "Um...what do you want me to do?"

Raphael stood up. Sitting on the edge of the windowsill for so long had given him a nice, big red line-mark on the back of his legs, and he was beginning to feel a bit stiff. Not to mention the talk between Nero and Div and Tahki and Raylan - was all going past him.
He needed to do something, though.
"Hello..." he started with difficulty. It was hard to tell who he was talking to, though, considering he was looking at Div's toes.
"Umm, you look kinda like, err, or rather, your appearance is similar to..."
He stumbled through the words and frowned, forgetting what he was going to say completely.

"Dance." Div ordered, eyes narrowed and ears shut against any protests. "Dance until I tell you to stop!"

Nero blinked. "Tahki is your mother?" he asked, blinking between the two. Well... there WERE similarities, he supposed. Nero smiled. "Another Feien resulting from a breeding! I met a very sweet one the other day - her name was Irisa. Actually, she sort of looked... like you..."

Nero trailed off, finally noticing how disturbingly similar they were.

Irisa must've been Raylan's sister! Oh, really, they were such a pretty, nice family then. That was wonderful! Nero was proud for Tahki.

Now THAT she could do.

"Okay!" Tahki happily agreed as she began to spin and twirl about on the windowsill, doing her best not to trip and fall.

"Irisa? I don't believe I've met her," he confirmed after thinking about the name. "In fact, you're the forth feien I've outside of my home."

"Don't dance like you want to!" Div cried, exasperated. It wasn't any fun forcing people to do her will when they WANTED to do it!

Unless it was Tosten, who was good at wanting to do it and called her "my lady" and didn't deny her queenhood.

"Irisa? I... think she might be your sister. I'm sure you'll meet her soon. You'll really like her, she's lovely!" Nero gigled, bouncing back and forth on the balls of his feet. "She was looking for her family. I bet she'll be very happy to meet you."

Tahki giggled as she continued to dance, rather oblivious to Div's protest.

"Sister?" Raylan questioned, perking up a little bit. "I heard that I had siblings, but Mama wasn't able to get out of the house until today. A sister... Is she really nice? I hope so, I'm really excited to get to meet Papa and whoever is staying with him. Uh...Kookaberra, I think Globin told me. So that makes two sisters! Gosh, I wonder what the forth is? I hope that one's a brother, because it might be a little strange being the only brother."

Magiale entered the shop with the kind of distracted ease you would expect from a...half-asleep zombie thing. O.o
"Raphael...Home..." She murmured through closed eyes.
Being the obedient Feien he was, Raphael climbed up to her shoulder.
"Say bye to...social people..." She continued distractedly, waving a hand at the four on the table.
"Bye." He said meekly, hardly expecting anyone to notice. Which, of course, they didn't, because Magiale was outside before he actually finished the word.

"She's very nice! And very pretty, just like you. I liked her a lot." Nero said, smiling and nodding. "And if it's any comfort, Ruya is the only daughter? And - "

"YOU CALL THAT DANCING?! YOU DISGUST ME! LEAVE ME AT ONCE!" Div shrieked, then grabbed Nero by the hand.

"We are going HOME! This place is filled with fools and I shall not tolerate them further!"

And with that, Div buzzed off, Nero in tow.

Tahki childishly stuck her tongue out at Div as she flew off, placing her hands on her hips as she stopped dancing. What a rude little feien! As promised, though, she wouldn't tell Ares quite yet about the trouble she was causing...

Raylan blinked a few times and waved to the three leaving. "It was a pleasure to meet you all!" he called out, smiling. He hoped to be able to see Nero and Raphael again, but he felt he could do without Div.

Raylan looked over his shoulder for a moment before flitting into the shop, having snuck out of the house for a moment to see if he could remember where this place was. He hadn't intended to stay long, especially since he didn't tell anyone that he was leaving too far from the house. Blinking his green eyes a few times, the dual-element feien's ears perked up slightly as he heard all of the voices, almost shocked at the sudden large group of people. Everything was so lively! Is this what Tahki had meant by colorful?

Edging over to the windowsill, he sat down quietly as he watched the others for a moment, smiling to himself. How exciting! He wanted to meet everyone, but thought he might be rude to just butt into someone's conversation, especially when he didn't know anyone. Folding his wings down over his shoulders like a cape, he folded his hands in his lap and waited.

Irisa turned to look at her sister. Ava seemed really nervous. The young feien could understand the feeling. She wasn't sure exactly what to do when she first met her father, either. She turned back to look at her dad. Did he even know or suspect?

"I guess... we could go see him together." she suggested with a hint of wariness in her voice. Irisa... never was one to make the first move regarding these situations. But neither was Ava. Still, sitting around there wasting time wasn't going to accomplish anything, so the least she could do was be there for her sister when her sister was also nervous about meeting their father for the first time.

Talon's ear twitched, picking out a voice that he DID recognize among the massive throng of others and blinked. That was--That sounded like--

He turned his head suddenly in the direction of whoever had been pointing at him, giving them his full attention to see if he recognized them. The child who had been pointing he didn't recognize but the other he most certainly did.

"Irisa...!" he exclaimed, abandoning the cloth and gliding toward them. Funny...all of the other feien here and for some reason he hadn't thought it would be a possibility that he might run into one of his children. Perhaps he'd just assumed that his luck really -was- that bad.

Ava's gaze flickered away from Talonfaust for a moment to study Irisa. She wanted to go meet him, she really did, it's just...

"He... he looks like he's busy," She said, shamelessly using the situation as an excuse not to meet him just yet. "I think maybe he doesn't want to be bothered. I think-"

Ava visibly jumped as he called out to Irisa and flew down towards her. She looked to Irisa, then to Talonfaust and proceeded to back away from her sister. "I..." Just then her attention was diverted to a feien who was just arriving, and she hurried away from her sister, calling over her shoulder, "I'll be right back!"

She felt a little gutless at running away like that, she wanted to meet him after all! But what was she going to say? What was she going to do? What if he didn't like her?

"Hello, I'm Ava." She said to the black-haired feien. She studied the three pigtails he had and smiled. "I like your hair, it's very pretty."

Eep! It seemed like in a situation like this, if you hesitated, then your father would just come to you. Irisa quickly turned to her father and clasped her hands as she beamed.

"Dad!!" the young feien greeted. "My sister... er, I mean, your daughter... that is to say..."

She looked at her sister, then back at her father. Then Irisa finally warmly smiled.

"This is Avangelyne, my..."

...at that moment, Irisa paused and stared in surprise as Ava flew off. ER... Did Ava want their father to know? Irisa was stumped. She didn't know what to say, now. Should she tell him, or shouldn't she? Well, of course she was supposed to, but...

She coughed.

"So... yea, that was Avangelyne..." the feien remarked, rather unsure of what to say, next. Irisa by nature wasn't THAT talkative or experienced enough to be able to come up with something in a situation like this.

Raylan blinked a few times as the red and white feien flew up to him, a bit surprised at the way he'd left the other two like that. Was something wrong with her? Was there some sort of sign over his head screaming "COME MEET ME!" that he didn't know about? ...Wait, he was thinking about things too much again. Smiling warmly, he lifted a hand to greet the feien with a handshake.

"Thank you," he replied. "Your hair is pretty as well. It reminds me of Mama's. ...Actually, your markings remind me of Mama's, as well. Very nice, I must say."

Looking to his extended hand for a moment, he'd realized he'd forgotten something. "Oh! Forgive my manners... My name is Raylan. And you are?"

Ava sent a guilty glance in the direction of Talonfaust and Irisa. She hadn't meant to leave her sister hanging there like that, she had just freaked out, as Rhia would have said. She felt a warm flush come to her cheeks at her actions, but thankfully she had a new feien to focus on.

"My name is Avangelyne, or Ava for short." She chose to ignore the comment about her hair, figuring he was talking about her bun and not the... thing sticking up above her forehead. "Really, I remind you of your mother? I haven't met my mother yet, so I couldn't say if you remind me of mine or not."

Talon blinked, confused as Ava suddenly made a hasty retreat just as Irisa introduced her. That...was a reaction he hadn't been prepared for. Biting his lip, he looked back to Irisa and then dropped to a kneel to hug her. As long as she was there, he wasn't going to neglect her, curious as he was about Avangelyne.

"That's your sister, then?" he questioned quietly when he drew back, making sure he hadn't misunderstood. He had every intention of going over to greet her next but...not if she was afraid of him for some reason.

"...is there something the matter I ought to know about?" he asked then, his voice twinged with a bit of puzzlement as he looked toward where Ava had gone and was now speaking to another juvenile. He couldn't help but feel a little stung that she was avoiding him, but had told himself that would always be a possibility...that at least one of his kids may not want anything to do with him.

"A pleasure to meet you. You have a mother, too?" Raylan smiled, resting his hand back in his lap as it was ignored. "I bet she's pretty, just like you. Do you know anyone in your family?"

After a moment, the young feien finally stood up on the windowsill, folding his arms behind his back. Come to think of it, Ava looked a LOT like Tahki once he thought about it more. She wouldn't happen to be one of the sisters he was supposed to have, was she...?

Ava blinked and watched Raylan withdraw his hand, putting one of her own hands to her mouth, "Oh! I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention."

She smiled slightly and lowered her hand, offering it to the other feien if he still wanted it. She hoped he wasn't insulted by her not accepting his handshake, she hadn't meant to ignore it. At the question of her family members, she sent another guilty look in the direction of her sister and father, deciding that she should go back over there. It was very rude that she had just run off like that, and she really hoped she hadn't hurt their feelings. But she still didn't know what she was going to say or do when she back over there.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I do." She looked back down at Raylan and nodded a little, more to herself than to him though, "I know my sister, Irisa... and I'm going to go meet my father, Talonfaust. Would you like to accompany me?"

Was Irisa that easy to read? Well, she was rather caught off guard. The young feien happily accepted the hug from her father. It was nice to have a dad who really cared about you. Irisa never knew what it was like to have a dad who didn't, although then again, her bond never seemed to care for Irisa that much.

Then again, from what Ava mentioned about Rhia saying about Ava's hair among other things, Ava's bond seemed... well, not exactly parental in the most sitcom sense of the term. And Ava didn't have a fairy godmother like Irisa did. Maybe that's why Ava was even more shy about it than Irisa was.

"Yea, father. She is." Irisa nodded. "But Ava's been... well, she seems kind of nervous. I can sort of understand the feeling, since... I felt nervous back then, too."

Not that Irisa could read minds, but seeing your father for the first time was really intimidating. It all worked out in the end and she was happy about that, but she imagined that her sister probably shared the same sentiments regarding a first meeting.

aquaphina outstreatched her wings and stood up "only....." she stepped of the ledge and floated down to the floor in a circular swing down. touching foot on the floor and standing up straight "hehe!" she slowly walked twords the other feiens...not wanting to startle them to fly away.

Raylan happily took hold of Ava's hand, giving it one firm and friendly shake as he did. Irisa...? Talonfaust? The smile he had seemed to be permenant now as a warm feeling began to rise within his body. Nero had mentioned an Irisa, and how he thought that she might be his sister. And his father's name was also Talonfaust. So... Irisa, Avangelyne, and Kookaberra. Three sisters... and more than likely, three LITTLE sisters.

"Yes, I'd like that very much, thank you," he said politely, hardly able to contain his excitment. His family... He was finally going to meet the rest of his family.

Talon didn't know why he'd immediately completed Irisa's statement in his head as her having been about to say "my sister", but was relieved to hear that he had been right. That would have been an embarrassing incorrect assumption to make but--

Honestly, what had made him assume in the first place had been something rather miniscule about her, but telling. Atop her head she seemed to be cursed with the exact same problem that he did. One little demon tuft of hair that refused to lay flat and stood straight up. No matter how much he combed it, wet it, flattened it, or ratted it, it absolutely refused to lay down.

At length, he simply nodded. "If she's nervous, then I'll leave the ball in her court." he murmured, remaining knelt. "Its...entirely up to her whether she wants to meet me or not, I'm not going to force it." he sounded like he was having a bit of difficulty with this, but....oh well, that was the safest thing to do right now, he assumed. If he went barging after her, there was the chance he'd make her want to avoid him all the more.

"How have you been?" he asked, looking to Irisa again and changing the subject so he wouldn't dwell on it.

Ava turned and smiled at the pink and black feien as she came close, but soon turned her attention to Raylan. Her brow furrowed slightly at the beaming smile on his face, but she didn't say anything. It almost seemed to hold some hidden secret that he alone knew, but she wasn't going to prod him for information. She was just thankful that he was going to come with her when she went back over to Irisa and Talonfaust.

Turning her attention back to the two feien on the table, she felt her chest tighten slightly as her eyes locked on her father. Oh boy. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, turning to Raylan and giving him a smile, trying to seem like she wasn't 'freaking out', "Let's go then."

She flapped her wings and took off, faltering for a second before soaring towards the table. She kept her eyes on Talonfaust the whole time, and as she drew closer she gasped softly.

His hair!

As she landed on the table - not even noticing that it was a near perfect landing - her nervousness was forgotten and she rushed over to him. As she stepped up to him, he was at least twice her height, but she didn't seem to mind. She stared, right at his cowlick. Slowly, her hand reached up and toyed with own wonderingly, her emerald eyes glittering happily.

Aquaphina stopped walking and just stood there. it wasnt a sence of feeling unwanted. but almost a feeling of what to do now. everyone was reconsiling or conversing with things they needed to do. yet Aquaphina seemed outcasted in the simple fact that she didnt need to talk to anyone... not even her bond. she sighed and sat on the floor. looking at her wings. sure she could fly but eventually she would get tired of that...something about ADD... but she didnt want to think about it...

Raylan nodded before unfolding his wings, flapping a few times to get himself into the air, and glided after Ava to the table. One look at Irisa, and Raylan immediately understood why Nero thought them to be related. The feien was black and white bi-colored, almost in the same fashion Nero had been, and had bi-colored eyes. Looking to Talonfaust for a moment, a thought came to mind. It seemed that, with Irisa at least, the colors fought a bit before deciding on half and half. A very nice combination, indeed.

First, introduction to his sister.

"Hello," he said with a little bow to Irisa before holding out his hand for a handshake. "My name is Raylan."

Talon started a bit as, out of the corner of his eye he caught movement and then turned as Ava approached him, her eyes seeming fixed on his head. Or...rather on top of it.

In spite of himself, he flushed a bit. Seemed that the thing that had made him instantly recognize her had made her find kinship in him as well. He was silent a moment and then spoke

"Sorry that it was hereditary..." he told her gently and sounding a little embarrassed, a hand stealing up to touch his own cowlick, feeling it bounce a bit against his fingers before he withdrew the hand, offering her a smile. "Its good to finally meet you, Avangalyne." he said, his words eluding to the fact that it was much more than that, though he didn't want to come on too strongly if she was still skittish. Best to let her make the first move on things for awhile.

Maybe THAT was hereditary as well....she'd gotten his antisocial behavior in a much milder dosage, perhaps.

Irisa was going to respond to her father's question, but at that moment, both Ava and the other feien had flown over. She allowed Ava to meet their father while she turned her attention to the new feien before her.

"Oh, hi, Raylan." she smiled as she returned the bow and then took his hand. "My name is Irisa. Nice to meet you."

Irisa paused, and then blinked. Raylan looked... exactly like a male version of herself. At least, the distinctive two tone color was there, even if he only had green eyes instead of green yellow like her's. Was this why Ava was talking to him?

"And... you're my brother, huh?" she blinked, before smiling. "Hey, this means we're almost all together, now, doesn't it?"

Ava blinked at Talon's words and found herself smilng a little sheepishly, her hand gently pulling her hair down to the side of her face before releasing it. It sprung back up to its original position, just like her father's. Her eyes strayed to his wings and she absently opened her own for a moment, still a bit stunned over the hair.

"I..." She frowned a little and cleared her throat, forcing it to be louder. "I didn't like my hair, Rhia makes fun of it. But yours is the same, in a way..."

She tilted her head and made a slight face, not really able to explain her feelings. Where they supposed to hug now or what? She was at a complete loss as to what to do, just as she had known she would be. She looked up at Talon helplessly for a moment and then shrugged, her hands lacing together in front of her, "I... I like your hair. I guess that means I like mine now too, right?"

Raylan nodded a little bit, folding his arms behind his back. "So it seems," he replied honestly, his wings folding back down over his shoulders. "It truly is a pleasure to finally get to meet everyone, and to think that I didn't bring Mama. I'll have to bring her next time, just in case."

Turning his green eyes to the tall white feien, his smile still remained. That was his father... What was he like? He certainly didn't seem anything like Tahki, and his looks seemed to fit his attitude: calm, and seemingly strong. Would he be like him when he got older?

"Our mother? That would be nice." Irisa smiled warmly.

She hoped her was doing well, too, although Raylan gave no indication that she wasn't. It was too bad that she wasn't there, though. She would have liked to see their mother. But her family seemed like they'd run into each other pretty often from here on, anyways, so she was sure she'd see her mother, eventually.

For now... there was another person missing, though.

"Our fourth sister, Kookaberra, isn't here tonight." Irisa remarked as she glanced around. "But maybe she will be, next time. We could all get together, then. I hope you're doing well, brother? Being with mom must be really nice."

Talon furrowed his brow a bit at her and likewise shrugged. "You're allowed to feel however you like about it." he told her and then leaned closer, lowering his voice a bit so he wouldn't draw attention to the fact they were discussing cowlicks if she didn't want to make a deal of it.

"I don't know if you have the same problems, but when I was younger, it drove me crazy. My bond used to tell me that if I wrapped it in tinfoil, I could probably pick up good radio reception." He rolled his eyes a bit and then examined it more closely.

"But...hmm..." he reached out tentatively, flattening the stray bit of hair against her head to see how far back it reached. "...if it really becomes troublesome for you, perhaps you could try buying a circlet from the shop?" He withdrew his touch and removed his own gold circlet then, Tahki's feathers still affixed to the back of it and offered it to her to examine or to try on, should she like.

"You may be able to keep it tucked down, but that's entirely up to you." his green eyes glistened a bit. "Honestly, you wear a cowlick much better than I ever did."

His eyes occasionally flicked to Raylan standing nearby. The black and white coloring kept catching him and making him wonder if this was the last piece to the family puzzle...the last child outstanding that he hadn't met yet. Had he not been worried that Ava would feel neglected, he would have asked.

aquaphina watches the family reunion... sitting quietly on the ground

Raylan looked back to Irisa for a moment, his ears twitching at the word 'fourth'. Kookaberra would be the third sister, would she not? Perhaps she'd meant to say sibling, instead. No matter, he nodded a little bit in understanding.

"I've been quite well, really," was his response, moving his arms out from behind his back. "Mama Ares has been teaching me things Mama can't, and Mama's always telling me stories about other feien. She's a little hyper, but I don't mind really. It's the way she is."

Looking to Talonfaust again, Raylan figetted a little bit. "If you'll excuse me, Irisa... There's something I must do, as I've been wanting to do it for such a long time now."

With a slight bow, the young feien pardoned himself, stepping over to the tall earth feien and looking to Ava as if to ask permission to speak to Talon.

At first Ava felt a bit disappointed in Talon's answer, but she wasn't sure why. But as he leaned close to her and spoke in a low, confidential tone, she couldn't help but smile. At the remark about tinfoil, the smaller feien issued her first giggle since her 'birth'; her bright eyes glittering.

Her eyes rolled upwards as he placed his hand on her head, an odd feeling overcoming her. It was a simple gesture, it probably didn't mean anything to Talon, but to her... she looked back at him as he withdrew his hand and felt a sudden urge to grasp his hand with her own, or maybe hug him. The only contact she had had with feien up until this point was a handshake. Though it was a trivial thing, Talon's hand upon her head made her feel... warm, happy, almost like she belonged.

She blinked and turned her attention from herself to the object he held. Tilting her head slightly as he held out the golden circlet, she lifted her hands and her fingers carefully grasped the cool metal. She examined it at first, probably more than was necessary, and then placed it on her head; the feathers hanging down along the right side of her face. It didn't fit very well, but she smiled anyways. Maybe because of the fact that it was his made it special, or maybe it was because he was the first one to actually share things with her. Whatever the reason, at that exact moment in time she was really, truly happy.

"I like it," She said, taking it off and carefully handing it back to him. She was about to ask him more questions when she caught Raylan's eye. Blinking a few times, she realized that he wanted to speak with the older feien. She smiled and took a step back, not wanting to be in way.

Mama... Ares? Perhaps Raylan had a fairy godmother, too? That was interesting. But... she knew what Raylan was talking about when he said he had something to do. So she nodded to him with an encouraging smile, and then stood back to watch. At that moment, she noticed the pink haired feien with black wings was still around, and actively observing the family. Irisa hoped she didn't feel insulted by how apparently no one greeted her yet. Irisa herself, however, really... wasn't very good at greeting people. So she just looked at the other feien and waved a 'hello' wave as she continued watching her brother and father.

aquaphina stood up and spread her wings till they were reaching as far as they could... she sighed and flapped upwords then out the shop..... twords home

Talon seemed reluctant to let Ava step aside as the black and white male approached. He still didn't know him and therefore felt a bit upset that he was interfering with his conversation with his daughter. Before she could move too far away, he put an arm around her back, drawing her close and hugging her tightly for a brief moment, before allowing his eyes to turn to Raylan expectantly, letting Ava go again.

Ava blinked a few times and looked up at Talon as he hugged her, not exactly sure what to do. When he let her go she stepped back, a little behind and to the left of her father. She looked over at Raylan and smiled, still slightly perplexed at the hug she had just received.

She felt happy, but slightly confused. They were family, so it was only natural to hug one another, right? Still… she felt a little awkward at him hugging her, they were nearly strangers, how could you so openly huge a stranger, family or not?

Raylan looked up at Talon then, still smiling his happy smile, his wings shifting a little on his shoulders. Folding his arms behind his back, he cantered his head to the left as he spoke.

"Mama says I look a lot like you," he commented, blinking his green eyes a few times. "She told me a lot about you, too. It's good to finally meet you, Papa."

Talon blinked once...then again, seeming thrown literally off-balance by what the boy had just said. Papa? He was....oh gods.

His head swum a moment, seeing three of his children in one place at the same time and he momentarily was at a loss for something to say before leaning in to have a better look at Raylan. This had become part of the routine, apparantly...investigating each child before accepting them. And...this one was a boy. The ONLY boy, as well. He cleared his throat.

"You're the one Tahki kept...?" he asked.

Raylan straightened up a little bit, nodding. "Yes, Mama took care of me," he replied, hoping that that was what the older feien was asking. Bowing a little bit, he continued to smile before hugging his father on his own.

"So, I seem to have three sisters," he commented, looking to Ava and Irisa for a moment. "I'm assuming Koobaberra is all right? I really would like to meet her sometime soon. Please tell her I said hello?"

Talon hesitated, allowing the hug, but taking a minute to return it "Yes, she--she's fine." His eyes skated over the three of them. "If I'd known you were all going to be here, I would have brought her..."

He gave himself a swift mental kick for not allowing Berra to come when she'd asked, but he'd assumed he would be by himself when he visited the shop.

He reached out, touching the middlemost of Raylan's ponytails and allowing himself a smirk. "What's your name?"

"My name is Raylan," he replied politely, returning his arms to behind his back.

"I guess all our loose ends are tied up, now, huh?" Irisa remarked with a smile. "Hmm... maybe we could all plan a family get-together for the future."

Or at the very least, swap phone numbers, come to think of it. Irisa didn't know how often her family could get together, but if they could all RANDOMLY meet together in the shop like this, then surely it couldn't be too hard, at least, which was nice. Maybe there was something to this 'fate' thing, after all.

Rhia opened the door to the shop partway, waving her hand once and catching Ava's eye. The demoness mouthed the words 'hey mushroom' and she raised both her hands, pointing to an imaginary wristwatch on her wrist. She raised one slender brow above her sunglasses and tilted her head questioningly.

Ava twiddled her fingers together for a moment, not wanting to leave but not wanting to upset Rhia. She sent a glance towards Irisa and then switched to Talon. Oh well, she supposed it was just as well. There would be three of them left, and it's not like they weren't talking already, they probably wouldn't mind if she excused herself.

"I have to get going," She said, trying to voice the comment to all three at once. "It was nice seeing you again, Irisa, hopefully we'll meet up again soon." She smiled to her sister and looked to Raylan, "I guess we're siblings then, too? I didn't know that, it was nice meeting you, and hopefully I'll see you again soon as well. If you can, tell Tahki I said hello please."

Ava turned to look up at Talon and for a moment was totally brain dead on what to say or do. Her wings fidgeted for a moment and then she shrugged, smiling as she stepped up to him and wrapped her arms around his waist; giving him a light - and very quick - hug. She stepped back and looked up at him again, still smiling. "Maybe I'll see you again, too. I think I'd like that very much. Tell Kookaberra I said hello for me please?"

She gave each feien a quick wave and flapped her wings, taking to the air and swooping out the door Rhia held open for her; her spike of hair bobbing up and down the whole way.

"Bye, sis!" Irisa waved. However, her sister leaving made Irisa herself notice the time, too. "Ah! I'd better get going. My bond has probably been waiting in the car for too long. Later, dad! Bye, brother. It was nice meeting you."

With a final flap of her wings, Irisa took to the door. Although she smiled on the outside, she had to admit that... it was still rather dissappointing, this whole need for a bond. But she didn't want to spoil the mood. For now, she was just happy to see her family again and also meet her brother.

Talon looked up as Ava hugged him and then barely had time to tilt a wave both to Avangalyne and Irisa before they were gone again. He heaved a sigh as they exited, knowing they had homes to go to but wishing just once he could spend longer than a few minutes with his family. It seemed like he only knew them in brief snatches and even then not all at once.

Looking to Raylan, as he was the only one left he smiled. "It's good to meet you, Raylan." he assured him. "I would have given you a better reception earlier but I'm afraid I didn't know who you were." He looked him over again, noting how his wings had the same alternating color that Tahki's did, except they were black and white rather than red and black.

"Though, I can say it now that I don't have to worry about stepping on anyone's feelings, its nice to know there was a son amid your sisters." It was, really...he loved his daughters, but there was just something that automatically put him on equal ground with Raylan simply in the fact they were both male. Something only fathers and sons understood.

Raylan nodded slowly, a bit sad that Ava and Irisa had to leave, also not having much time to tell them goodbye. Well, shoot... He'd wanted to tell them how to get to Neko's, too, so that they could meet their mother as well. Looking up at Talon, he understood a little bit of that last comment. While he'd hoped for a brother, a part of him felt good that he was someone his sisters might have been able to come to.

"That's quite all right," he said honestly, toeing the ground a little bit with his left foot. "It's a little strange being the only boy among the siblings, but at least not the only one in the family, right? I'm hoping to maybe be like one of those big brothers, you know? Someone to protect my sisters."

"I'd like to say they won't need it, but..." he sighed. "Unfortunately, given some of the people I've heard of and met, they just may. Especially Kookaberra...she's--" he put his hand out palm-down and placed it about level with Raylan's elbow "She's about that tall...very tiny and -very- friendly. I'm hoping she won't let it get her in trouble in the future. A big brother may be just what she needs."

He cleared his throat and sat back on his haunches. "How's your mother, by the way? I haven't heard from her since we went our separate ways after the breeding...I miss her."

Raylan gave him an apologetic grin, furrowing his brow a little bit. "She misses you too, actually," he admitted, even though she never told him directly. He could tell when she missed him just by how lonely she'd look, or when she'd start clinging to him and telling him how much he reminded her of his father. "Though, she's quite well. She's starting to get a little down with Neko still being gone, and we're all starting to grow worried, but other than that, she seems to be okay."

He shifted his arms behind himself a little bit so that he could grasp at his right wrist. "She wants to meet everyone... However, she said she couldn't stay out too long, because she feels something's wrong. She started feeling a little weak last night after coming back home from here, and she said something about Neko being really angry. So, she wants to be home when he comes back, just to be sure he's okay."

"Weak?" Talon's ears perked with concern. "Are you sure she's all right? She isn't sick?" He sat up again, his wings tensing a bit behind him. He'd known Tahki for nearly three months, and the last time she'd seemed any semblance of 'weak' had been after her episode with the hawk that had left her with a broken arm.

The young feien had to think about that for a moment. "No, no...not sick," he decided, shaking his head. "Mama Ares and Merri also said they'd felt strange for a moment. Mama Ares fell, actually... Luckily it wasn't too far. Oddly enough, I was the only one that didn't feel anything."

The earth feien quirked a brow at this, not entirely understanding. They'd all felt strange at the same time...? How odd...unless, perhaps, it had had something to do with Neko herself. But was that really how it was...? As soon as your bondmate died, you immediately went with them? He shuddered a bit at the thought. How terrible.

"All right..." he relented. "Well, do me a favor and tell your mother I'm thinking of her and that I'd like to see her again when she can find the time." He put a hand on Raylan's shoulder. "I'd go with you tonight, but I'm expected back and I promised her that I'd make it a point not to upset my bond anymore..."

Karma seemed to have fully forgiven him for the fiasco surrounding his and Tahki's breeding, thankfully, but he didn't think it would be wise to tempt fate. Even if going to visit his family WAS a good reason as far as he was concerned. It occurred to him lately that, since Berra had been born, he'd had to curb a lot of things....his temper, his swearing, his recklessness....and it sure as hell wasn't easy.

Raylan nodded a little bit, smiling slightly. "I'll tell her. I bet that'll make her forget the fact that I came here, actually," he said, the last comment meant more for himself. "Which reminds me that I really need to go before I worry anyone. Maybe I can visit myself sometime, if Mama doesn't want to go for some reason? I'll figure things out."

Unfolding his wings, he stretched them out a little bit as he prepared to take flight. "I'll help you take care of everyone, Papa. Maybe some day, I'll get to be a dragon knight as well, like Mama says you are."

Talon, not expecting this, showed a rare and genuine grin before pulling Raylan close again before allowing him to go. He'd become a lot more cuddly lately too, he realized...he hoped that wasn't something that extended beyond his family. If he caught himself next yelling 'OOOH WHAT'S THAT??' at something that interested him, he just may have to beat his head against the wall until it was all out of him.

"I know you will." he said, letting him go again. "And I'd like that. You're welcome over whenever you like, and that goes for your sisters as well."

Raylan wrapped his arms around Talon for a moment, releasing the older feien once he'd been himself. He grinned, his green eyes shining a little bit.

"I'd very much like that. Perhaps I'll try within the next few days so that I might meet Kookaberra, and I could see you and Globin. Again, it was very nice to meet you, Papa... Mama will be happy to know that you're well."

Talon got to his feet again, straightening his wings as he did so. "It was nice meeting you too, Raylan." he told the boy, reaching out and putting a hand on his head, ruffling his hair a bit. "Take care of yourself, all right? And your mother."

"Yessir," he replied, chuckling a little bit. Stepping to the edge of the table, he turned to wave to his father before taking flight, exiting the shop and heading toward home.

Tahki peered into the shop through the window, pressing her face up against the glass so that she could see inside better. Hmm...it looked rather empty! Perfect... Especially since Ares was flying up right behind her.

"It looks like it should be quiet!" she smiled, giggling before she remembered to keep her voice down. "There's only one othe--Oh!! Is that Patience????"

The green female she hadn't seen in a VERY long time, and had probably met her maybe once. It was amazing what Tahki remembered sometimes... Quickly flitting into the shop, she waved a hand to the earth feien.

"Hiiii!" she called before landing on the counter top.

Ares shook her head lightly before entering the shop herself, flapping her two-toned wings lightly as she turned the corner quickly and landed on the window sill. Flicking her tail a little bit, she decided to wait for a moment to catch her breath before going to see the other feien.

Patience turned her head and looked up at Tahki. She tilted her head and then smiled a bit. She had met her once for a brief moment and didn't reconize her older. She waved, but stayed sitting down.

"Why hello there!"

She grinned a bit more. Today was a good day then. She was lucky today and ran into someone. She felt better.

Tahki smiled, leaning down a little bit as she folded her hands behind her back, spreading her wings a little for more balance.

"How're you? I haven't seen you in so long!" she asked curiously, surprised even with herself that she wasn't asking a hundred questions at once.

Patience looked up and her, swaying her feet as she sat.

"It's been quiet at home, My Shiro's out on an adventure. I didn't go on this one. Been home and such, keeping everyone in line so the Keep is in one piece when they get back."

She sigh at the Shiro part and seemed to get a bit annoyed at the keep part, then she went back to normal.

"And how are you? How has everything been at your house... Did Ares ever find her son? Last I saw her she was stressed and looking for him. I hope he was alright..."

Tahki's long ears drooped a little more as she heard about Patience's bond being gone. It seemed that always happened... The last time Neko disappeared for a few weeks, Maquinar and Quantel's bond was also missing. And now, Neko was once again gone... Once again, he was away longer than he'd planned.

The cold feien smiled, however, not wanting to really talk about it. She straightened up a bit, cantering her head to the left as she spoke.

"Things have been okay! And...yes, we did find Merri. Well, actually, Tosten found Merri and brought him home. A little worse for wear, but... that wasn't exactly his fault... He's okay, though!" she answered politely.

"That's good to hear that everything worked out. I'm just bored today."

Patience looked from Tahki to her dangling feet. She stared at them for a while as she kicked one then the other.

"He's never gone this long. And Morgan and Unmei have riens on the house pets... So I have nothing to do..."

She looked back up at Tahki.

"I have been searching for someone to teach me magic. I feel it, but I don't know how to use it...."

She paused a bit, then decided to ask.

"Do you know anyhting about using magic or know someone who uses magic alot? I really want a teacher. I think that If I learn some magic, I can be of use to Hurog again..."

Tahki frowned slightly, shaking her head a little bit. "No, I'm not really all that good with magic," she admitted, lifting a hand and rubbing the back of her neck. "I sometimes have trouble controling my own, especially if I'm not concentrating hard enough."

Which was true, as her focus wavered for a moment and the air briefly grew cold around her. Maybe there was someone else who could help...

"Hmmm... Well, Ares does a lot of meditating, and she says that it helps! What element are you again...? Maybe we can find somebody else who's the same element to help you!"

She stood up, not wanting to sit so long that her legs could fall asleep on the counter. She could feel the beginings of the pins and needles, so she had to get up. She stretched her wings as she replied to Tahki's question.

"Forgive me..."

She stretched open her bat wings, giving them a beat or two before lowering them again behind her.

"..Ahh.. Better, Sorry. I was sitting here a while and my legs started to fall asleep on me. I'm an Earth Elemental. I don't think it's uncommon. So there has to be others of my element."

Patience said. But then again she didn't know to many people... Though she had overheard that Nekota's new feien he had gotten a while back was earth too. Tosten was air, she knew that.

"Oh! Talon's an earth element!!" Tahki exclaimed, folding her hands in front of herself. "Maybe he c--... Well, he doesn't really like to meet new people..."

Hmmm... But what if he made an exception?

"I could ask him, though! Maybe he'll help... There's also the Pretty Lady! I mean, Yeande! She seems to know lots about magic too, so maybe she could help! Uh...only thing I can reccommend in the meantime is maybe meditate on things? Like, practice the stuff you already know!" Yes, practice was always good! Something she herself probably needed to do more often.

She didn't know either feien, so she just nodded. She really needed to meet more feien out there. She just kept missing them, she guessed.

"If you could ask him, that would be nice. And Yeande.. I have heard that name before... Where... Oh, I think tosten has mentioned her once.."

Patience tilted her head in raction to rest of what Tahki had said. Her brows furrowing as she was confused.

"Practice? What do you mean by practice the stuff I know?"

Tahki blinked a few times, rocking back onto the heels of her feet. Had she said something confusing?

"Well, do you KNOW any magic right now?" she asked curiously, perhaps not understanding what Patience was needing.

"I know nothing about magic.. So I am pretty sure I don't know any spells or what ever they are called. I feel... I feel stuff coming from the earth and other earthy things... but I don't know how to use it at all. Like I ahve seen Tosten do with air."

Patience looked down at her toes. She felt annoyed and sad at the same time in her lack of ability to actually DO magic, even though she could feel it around her.

Tahki frowned slightly, standing upright again. Had she upset her somehow? She hadn't meant to, and began to wonder if perhaps her questions were bothersome.

"If it helps at all, I didn't really know I had magic either until it just happened one day," she commented, her long ears perking up slightly. "One day, I just froze some of Neko's water. I didn't mean to, but it happened! So, I thought about it, and tried to do it again, and it worked!" Tahki smiled reasurringly. "Maybe if you believe you can do it, then you can? Oh! Maybe we can look in the spell book! It might tell us some spells you might know!"

She picked up her head and listened to what Tahki had to say. Maybe she had done magic before, and just never noticed.

"Spell book? There is a spell book?"

She was confusd again. There was some record of things that feien have been able to do before. Well, it was possible. Maybe soemthing in there could help her a bit, if she knew what she might be able to to, she might be able to try it and see if she can do it.

"Do you know where it might be? If there is one?"

"Uh-huh!!" Tahki nodded happily, looking around the room for a moment. It wouldn't be THAT hard to miss... It was a rather large book, after all.

"There!" she pointed across the counter at the thick book laying in the middle. "I think that's it!"

Lifting herself into the air, the cold feien fluttered quickly over to the spellbook, inspecting it for a moment. This had to be it, right? Grasping the cover, Tahki lifted it with slight ease, pulling the book open for Patience to look at.

Patience followed the eager feien to the book in question. She had seen this book before when she had come to the shop and cleaned the place up. But she never had the curiosity to even think of opening it up.

She scanned the pages...

"Is there an index... Where is earth magic?"

She wondered if the contents page or soemthing could lead them there faster rather then looking page per page.

Tahki flitted over the page for a moment, scanning the text. Well, this page certainly didn't say too much...

"Umm...I'm not sure, actually," she admitted, landing next to Patience. "Guess we'll have to find out, won't we?"

Smiling, the red and black feien lifted the first couple of pages to turn them, doing her best not to rip or tear any of the paper as she did so. "Anything on that one?"

Patience scanned the pages, but they seemed scattered in their sentences... Some info here... some info there... Alot of blank spaces. She guessed they where there for more magic when discovered.

She kept looking as Tahki turned the pages. It took them a while, but soon Patience spotted something that sounded earth related.

"Stop here... What is this one..."

She pointed to the page, on it had some writing about that particular magic.

"Stone skin... sounds earth related... Skin turns hard... said to have increased stamina. This sounds like a earth spell. I guess I just have to concentrate on my body and try to make my skin hard... Hmmm.. That's worth a try..."

Patience said reading the paragraph again. She was a bit dissapointed, she thought there would me more information telling about the magic, but aparently it wasn't that indepth. But it was a start.

"Maybe if you start there, you'll be able to learn other things, too!" Tahki smiled, again trying to reassure Patience. "You feel your magic, right? And you don't know how to concentrate it or use it?"

This reminded Tahki much of herself, and how she wasn't able to control her abilities at first. It was the same, wasn't it?

"Now that you're aware of one type of spell, you might be able to find where your magic is coming from! I bet there's lots of other stuff in here you could learn, too. Maybe when Shiro comes back, he could help you look through the book?"

She had found something, it was a start! She nodded to Tahki.

"It's a start. Thank you very much for helping out. And if you can please talk to who ever, I think a teacher is still what I need, but I'll start trying this stuff at home."

She was getting a bit excited. After all the time of waiting at the shop, it was going to pay off.

"Thank you! I should be getting home though. I hope to see you again though! Thanks again!"

Patience quickly flew up and waved to Tahki as she headed for the open window she had come in. But before she left she waved again.

"Thanks!"

Then she was gone. Off to go home for the night.

Silva scowled, looking at the shop for a while as he debated on going in or not. He didn't much care for the place, but he had told Ruya he would be checking out the variety to be found, and he felt the urge to follow that plan out.

Besides, if it got too annoying he could leave easily enough. Right? With that thought he stepped through the door, looking around with hidden curiosity.

Raylan peered in through the window for a moment, cupping his hands to try and block out the outside light as he searched the nearly empty shop for other feien. He'd told Ares that he would be going out tonight since Tahki wasn't in the room when he felt the urge to go, so he was able to stay a little longer today, unlike the last time where he got to meet his family and couldn't stay long. After a moment, the young feien spotted maroon colored wings near the floor, and immediately began to wonder who it was.

Smiling a little bit, Raylan flitted quietly into the shop, landing softly on the floor, and hoped he wasn't bothering the other feien. "Hello," he called out politely after taking a few steps closer to the other feien.

Silva turned, raising an eyebrow and chewing on his toothpick as he looked over the newcomer. Not quite the "Variety" he was going for, he thought. Oh well.

"Kid." He muttered in greeting, wondering what this one would be like. He didn't have high hopes.

Raylan blinked a few times, wondering if that was some sort of new greeting. Well, at least he was acknowledging him, right? Keeping his smile, the dual element feien took a few steps closer, something a little intimidating about that toothpick.

"My name is Raylan," he stated, holding out his hand for a handshake once he was close enough. "Who might you be?"

Silva blinked, a smirk of amusement pulling on his lips as he looked down at the hand. He had shook hands with one other feien so far, a white haired adult that had brought him his wolf. The male had been strong, and had done him a service. This kid... this kid was just being nosey.

"I'm here." Was his reply after a few seconds as he nodded in acknowledgement of the hand and turned to look around. His hand reached up, pulling out his toothpick and moving it to the other side of his mouth. He would have to replace it again soon. "It's not something I'll be bragging about any time soon, though."

He turned, looking at the kid. "Why are you here?" It was honest curiosity that compelled him, since he wasn't sure why other feien bothered to come to this place. He wouldn't have, if it hadn't been for that... conversation.

:A delicate foot, followed by a lean calf and a shapely knee, slips over the edge of the uppermost bookshelf, dangling, swaying slightly.:

Raylan blinked a few times before withdrawing his hand, folding his arms behind his back. It wasn't so odd for others to not accept handshakes, but he merely hoped he hadn't offended the other. He continued to smile even still, finding it best to just be friendly at this point.

"Pleased to meet you, Here," he said, misunderstanding for the word with a name. "I'm here to see if I can meet other feien, actually. I've only recently been able to get out of the house, and I'm kind of hoping to meet my third sister here. And yourself?"

Irisa peered around from the doorway, before flying into the shop. Time to try to do some field work, finally. She recognized one of the feien in the shop. It was her brother! Although exactly who Raylan was talking to, she didn't know.

"Oh, hey brother." she waved with a smile, before turning to the other feien and nodding. "Hi. My name's Irisa. Er... don't mind me. I'm just trying to collect some data."

Irisa tried to not allow herself to get distracted in her work. But she imagined her sister Avangelyne would probably be more disciplined than her. Still, it seemed like this other feien was talking with her brother right now, anyways. She didn't know if this other feien was a friend or if her brother and him had never met before.

Out of the corner of her eye, she thought she could see a foot dangling, but she wasn't completely sure at the distance she was at.

Silva blinked, trying not to laugh as he realized that the other male believed his name was "Here." It just furthered his belief in the intelligence of Feien-kind. He had none. But there was something interesting in what the kid had just said...

"Sister, huh?" He paused, playing with the idea for a second before shrugging it off. "Couldn't get out of your house? What, don't know how to open a door?"

A wicked smirk played on his lips as he went on, unable to help himself even if he had wanted to. "It's real easy. You just turn the knob and push. Unless you haveta pull, that is."

Raylan frowned slightly, shaking his head. "Oh, no. I know how to open doors very well," he replied, tilting his head to the left a little bit. "First, I wasn't allowed to leave for a while because no one would come with me, and they didn't want me to get lost. Mama finally showed me how to get here not too long ago, and since I remember how to get here by myself, I'm allowed to come."

Looking to his sister, he smiled again. "Hello, Irisa. How are you this evening?" he asked politely, hoping that turning his attention away for a moment wasn't rude.

:Slipping wholey off the shelf, Quantel begins to lower herself towards the counter, slowly, silently, her wings wrapped around her body like a protective cocoon. Every so often, as she passes through a shadow, she gathers the darkness around her as well, then lets it slide away as she slides back into the light.:

Mama? ALLOWED to?? What in the hell was this boy smoking? Sure, he could almost understand asking for permission to go someplace dangerous... like through the door. Or maybe to go over and talk to Sunil, but to THIS place?

He was so busy taking in this foreign concept that he took a few seconds to notice the female. Okay, females he could handle. Unless she had some bright idea about going to "Mama" for everything too. He waited to hear her response before making a comment.

He only hoped it wasn't so. She was kind of cute.

Glancing around the shop, Irisa picked up some of her paper she had left on the table a bit earlier. She pulled a black feather out of her hair. Hrm... she'd really have to finish making that carrying case she was working on. Ah well. At least she finally had her writing tools.

She looked around the shop some more, wondering if there would be any observations she could make tonight for her research. The nameless feien talking to her brother. Was "Here" his name? Her brother seemed to think so and Irisa didn't catch the beginning of their conversation. But that was a strange name. Whatever the case, this "Here" (if that was his name) didn't seem too open-minded, since he didn't seem to consider that maybe there were other reasons why Raylan couldn't leave the house (Irisa should know. She wished she could get out of the house more often). However, the tone in his voice seemed to indicate that he didn't want to be.

...hmm. How... impolite. She wondered what was going on. Maybe he and her brother were just joking around with each other. That would explain why her brother called him "Here". She hoped that was the case, although their general tone indicated otherwise.

"Oh, I'm fine." Irisa smiled at her brother. "I'm just trying to collect magic data and observations. Is he a friend of your's?"

Raylan made it to the shop by himself? Irisa's bond still wouldn't let her leave the house by herself because he thought it was too dangerous outside for such a young feien (and he might be right), so he drove her there.

Irisa was a very attentive feien. It helped a lot with... well, paying attention to things. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that her initial suspicions of there being someone on top of the shelf were confirmed, as she saw a feien slip down from above. A feien which... seemed to dissappear in and out of sight.

What was that? Well, although Irisa was attentive, she didn't have eyes in the back or side of her head, so she wasn't getting a complete view while she was talking with her brother and this other feien. But still, was that another magic spell? Maybe she'd ask that feien about it. How... intriguing.

"I...ah..." Raylan looked to the other male feien for a moment. He didn't seem so friendly to be considered a friend right away. "Well, I just met him."

Folding his wings down over his shoulders, Raylan dropped his arms from behind his back, allowing them to rest at his sides. He knew when he wasn't being too smart, and now seemed like a good time to make up for it.

"As I said, I wasn't able to leave before because I wasn't allowed. My bond isn't with us at the moment, so if I were to have gotten lost or hurt, they wouldn't have been able to help me as well as he would be able to, apparently. I'd hate to suddenly be lost while Neko is away... Especially since he didn't really get a chance to get to know me before he had to leave."

Perhaps that explination would help things a little bit.

"Ah." Irisa nodded in thought, before adding, "My bond has to drive me over. He thinks it's dangerous for me to be outside by myself because I'm only a few weeks old. He might be right, although you seem to have made it here just fine."

Irisa wondered if this other feien came and went to the shop as he pleased. She had a feeling he did, although she wasn't exactly sure why. Maybe it was just... his general tone.

He was worried about his bond... Silva shrugged, understanding... kind of. Okay, not really. But hell, at least the boy had some sort of logic behind his thoughts. "Sure, kid. I guess that makes sense."

Idly he turned, following the female's line of sight to the female playing with the shadows. There was something familiar about her skills. Not to mention she was hot as hell. Another shadow feien? Or maybe dark, he couldn't tell...

"You know her?" He asked Irisa.

:Out of the three Feien on the counter, the bitter male interests her the most. Within him she can see the same power source as hers, a dark eddy of shifting light... She reaches the counter a short distance from them, a mere twelve inches. Before she sets a single toe down, she unfurls her wings, their span nearly double her height, directing the sudden burst of air at the surface they stood upon, deflecting any dust or stray bits of matter that may be lying there. Once she is certain all is clear, she touches down, first one delicate foot, and then the other.:

:Folding her wings neatly once more against her back, Quantel peers in the direction opposite of where they stand, studying some of the flyers that have been posted on the far way.:

"Mmm... not really." Irisa remarked as she turned her attention to where the shadow feien was (although she was once again out of sight). "I'm still rather new, myself. That's a really interesting magic spell she's using, if that's what she's doing. Maybe I should start writing some of this down for my research."

Irisa tried to peer more closely. No, she couldn't see that feien at all. With that, she began writing a few notes.

She turned to the feien that was with her and her brother. "What's your element, if I may ask? ...oh, I'm sorry. I don't think I ever got your name."

It was a good thing she turned her head to look at the other feien, because at that moment, a deluge of dust and wind flew her way. Since her head was turned, none of it got in her eyes, although Irisa found herself holding on tightly to her paper to keep it flying away. She glanced back at the other female feien, now on the counter and inquisitively raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything.

What was that? Was that a spell or was that just that feien's gigantic wingspan? Irisa was too curious to be annoyed.

"Shadow." He muttered, answering both her question of his element and what spell the other feien was using. "Though it might be called something else... dark disguise? Hell, I don't know."

He was so focused on the female a foot away that he didn't notice how talkative he was being. There was a slight smirk as he stood firmly in the wind, admiring her strength of wings. He had a thing for strong... and often dangerous females.

Raylan blinked a few times, shielding his eyes with a hand as the dust blew past. That was some gust of wind... Of course, something like that could be expected from such large wings. Looking to the blue female, his green eyes inspected her for a moment before he smiled. She must have been very talented with magic to have been able to disappear like that.

"Hello," he called, not close enough to put out a hand for a handshake. "Who might you be?"

:Turning her head in their direction, she reaches up a hand to tuck her hair behind her left ear, eyes travelling and appraising each one in turn. The faintest of smiles quirks the left corner of her lips.: "I might be Quantel," :she directs towards Raylan, her voice low and musical with hidden laughter.:

Ah, an actual name! And a rather interesting one, at that. "A pleasure to meet you, Quantel," Raylan said politely before bowing a little bit, holding one hand toward himself in a more gentlemanly mannor. "My name is Raylan."

She was smooth... He smirked slightly, not bothering to offer up a comment as he watched her and the kid. Arrogant, with a touch of class. Not to mention the deception he could almost feel coming off of her in waves. It was something about the eyes...

And he had her name. He stopped, turning slightly to look at the others. This wasn't the place for meeting another one like him. But it was interesting to know that one existed...

"It's been... interesting." He finally said, not lying, just not telling the truth. "But I've got things that need to be done." With that he took to the air, heading out towards home.

Irisa waved to the nameless feien, before turning her attention to the other.

"Hello, Quantel. And I'm Irisa. Nice to meet you." Irisa nodded. "You seem to be very adept at your magical ability."

Ah, an adult? Shadow and Dark Disguise, eh? That would be good to add to her notes. She wondered how adept at magic Quantel was. Judging by the fact that Quantel was an adult, it seemed like she must have had a lot of experience.

:Quantel resists the urge to grind her teeth at the sudden departure of the only one she really had an interest in. She keeps her expression pleasant, friendly, however, so as best to figure out who these other two are, and if they will be of any use to her.:

:Her attention turns to the female. Irisa. The girl makes statements of the obvious; perhaps that in of itself would come in handy. Quantel gives a delicate shrug of her shoulders, the sapphire hair that cascades over them rippling slightly.: "I do not believe my magic is anything special... There are other Feien much more proficient than I in that field."

There was a fluttering of white and red at the window as Kookaberra glided into the shop, pausing in mid-air and beaming to see that it wasn't empty. She'd wanted to head out on her own in hopes of finding items that tickled her fancy, but by the time she'd aimed to leave, it was already dark out. And her father wasn't about to let her go off on her own.

A moment of lag later, and Talonfaust entered behind her, looking a little worse for wear and drooping a bit. How the hell was he supposed to know that human colds could be contagious to feien? Gruh...

"Get what you need, and come find me when you're done." he said as he passed Berra by, being a little more curt with her than usual as he sought out the location of the nearest heating duct and fluttered up to park himself in front of it, trying to take the aching chill off of his body.

Berra said nothing, already scanning the shop and immediately excited when she recognized someone below.

"Irisa!!" she declared, spiraling out of the air toward the bi-colored feien, happy to see her again after so long.

"Really?" Irisa curiously but rhetorically remarked. "Hmm, interesting. Well, I'm actually trying to collect data on all types of magic and magic proficiencies, really. But it really looked interesting."

Irisa scribbled a few more notes on her paper. She pondered asking Quantel if she knew any other spells, too, but... it seemed awfully abrupt to start gathering data on feien just like that without getting to know them better or at least them volunteering or such. Irisa herself knew the feeling since research was the reason her bond got her...

Raylan's ears perked up slightly as he heard the two feien coming in, smiling as he noticed his father. His smile quickly faded as he realized the older feien was worse for wear, wondering what could possibly had made him look so sick. The tiny feien that fluttered in before him, however, caught his interest.

Red and white markings, with adorable black pigtails and yellow eyes. She was even darker than the other feien had looked, something he'd seen in only two other feien. Once again, another feien that seemed to resemble his mother. Wait... If she came in with Talonfaust...

"Kookaberra?" he asked quietly, just to be sure. Of course, he'd feel like a fool if he was wrong.

Bringing herself to a halt a polite distance away from everyone, Kookaberra landed and ended her approach with a controlled walk. She had yet to actually pounce anyone or ram into them, no matter how glad she was to see them.

At hearing her name, she turned her head toward the black and white boy nearby, blinking with surprise that he'd known her. Irisa forgotten for just a moment, she pricked her ears a bit.

"...yes?" she asked, wondering if perhaps she was in trouble.

Talon, having found the heating vent, stood in front of it for a moment and was aggravated that the air coming from it was tepid at best...but it was slightly warmer than the room itself was. It would have to work. Huddling his wings around himself sourly, he sat on the shelf.

Why had she wanted to go TONIGHT of all nights, god dammit? Right after a rainfall and he'd been about to take a nap, and--

~And nobody said you had to go in the first place, did they?~ his mind chided him, making him snarl.

"Oh, hey sister!" Irisa happily greeted with a wave. She looked at Rayland, and then back at Kookaberra. She wondered if she should introduce the two siblings, although her greeting back to Kookaberra at least would basically confirm her brother's suspicions...

Raylan smiled warmly, taking a few steps closer to the feien. "My goodness, Papa wasn't kidding when he said you were little," he commented, looking down at her.

"Oh! Forgive me, that was rather rude... My name is Raylan. I'm... uh... I'm your brother. You're the last one I needed to meet!"

:Some sort of reunion was about to be in progress, and Quantel wants no part of it. She turns away, about to head over to the flyers she had been reading, when a blur of red enters the shop through the window. She sneers mentally. Does that dolt ever make anything other than a flashy entrance?:

:Maq, half missing the fact that the shop is populated by several others, blazes into the room and suddenly stops in mid-air, flipping himself head over heels momentarily as he did so. Once he manages to cease his forward movement, he hovers there, orange eyes exploring the store. There is something familiar about the younger Feien here...:

Berra's eyes instantly lit up. No games, no having to ask questions, this time it had been easy. She had a big brother! A...much-bigger-than-she-was brother at that... sweatdrop

"Raylan!!" she chirped, instantly closing the distance between them and hugging him fiercely around the lower chest. At the rate things were going, she'd been wondering if she'd get to meet the rest of her family at all. For a long while now, Irisa had been the only sister she'd been aware of and had known there were two others out there.

"Its so good to finally meet you!" she grinned, drawing back at last, yellow eyes glistening happily.

Irisa needed to find a way to speak with others, better. There were lots of nice feien to meet, and all sorts of fantastic magic to observe. For example, a new feien had just arrived, and with quite a fiery entrance. Irisa pondered greeting him, but wasn't sure if he was here for reasons other than to chat (not that Irisa was very good at chatting, herself).

She wished she could ask Quantel more questions, but the older feien didn't seem too interested. Quantel seemed the distant type in general. Sort of like Irisa's sister, but... even more so. Irisa couldn't put her finger on what was going on there, but something felt... suspicious.

Course, maybe that was just the way Quantel was. The word "shadow" generally did give an air of mystery.

At any rate, Irisa was glad that Raylan could finally meet his other sibling. She hoped their father was okay, though. He seemed exhausted.