Welcome to Gaia! ::

Rhiannon overheard snatches of the conversation as she pulled a few of her research journals. Each was labeled with the region she had been located while using the journal, and she wanted to see if she could piece some things together by looking at her notes. With two of the worn books under each arm Rhia made her way back to the living room, sitting on the floor near the table.

As she spread the opened journals across the table a small sigh escaped her lips. There was no telling what could be causing the crystal evolution among all the beasts, and she had been puzzling over the problem endlessly. Rothmet and Edane seemed equally lost in thought when she had entered the room, and though she was more than curious about the unusual sword sitting on Rothmet's lap she remained silent, lost in contemplation.

After shaking her head a bit as if to clear it out, she applied herself to her current task. She read over her notes carefully, noticing similarities and connection as well as a few anomolies. From what she had seen, the crystals only seemed to transform predators, making them stronger and more dangerous. Rhia was unsure what siginificance this observation could have, but she jotted it down quickly with a pen that had been sitting on the table.

Tatsu proped her head up on her hands, both elbows on the table, and watched with obvious amusement the bit of trouble that the wait staff was putting Tara through, when she introduced herself, however, Tatsu leaned dramatically over so that she could be seen around Korsu. "Hello, Tara. I'm Tatsu... Nice to see that Hikamitsuians aren't the only people around here the wait-staff discrimates against," She laughed slightly, sounded very cheerful despite the fact he words were nothing to be cheerful about. "This guy here is Korsu. He says he's a Maolna. Note the amazingly intriguing wings." She pointed out and she motioned towards him dramatically with one has as if gesturing to a museum exhibt. After she had done it, however, Tatsu appeared to actually be ashamed, and her smile softened and she shrugged apolgetically, "Sorry... I still can't get over how awesome you are..."

Neither of them offered a reply to Rhia as she left. While they were bickering nobody else existed to them, just their enemy in a battle of wits. Malcholar imagined his companion was weighing whether or not to apologize to their host. He on the other hand went back to reading. The book of his hands was ancient, like all of the others he carried. This language though resembled the Deshret tongue, so it was easy for Malcholar to decipher.

The book didn't hold any significant information. It wasn't a Biography, or cartography book. It didn't contain any historical value as far as facts go. However, it held an abundance of cultural information. It was a book of poems. Hundreds of them rested within the pages. Malcholar was nearly half-way through it.

He was muttering the words out loud, though in his native tongue. A habit he had when reading. It wasn't loud enough that the words could be made out, but loud enough to be heard.

After weighing whether to apologize or not Kaledan let the issue drop. Rhia didn't seem serious in her scolding, more amused then serious. Kaledan didn't find anything about their arguments amusing however. It was only once the smell of Rhia's cooking reached his nose the his anger began to fade away. He gazed out of the room's only window, to the right of the couch. Dusk had settled upon the city. However it was no less bright. It seemed the day had just begun for the other residents.

She was pulling out all the things she needed in a methodical manner, ingredients laid out on the counter in a row. Rhia was humming quietly, her voice pleasant and warm, the tune catchy and familiar although she wasn't sure where she learned it in the first place. Occasionally she would glance out of the kitchen to see how Rothmet and Edane were doing, but both seemed content.

Rhiannon stayed in the kitchen, occasionally stirring the steaming pot with a large wooden spoon, adding ingredients as she saw fit. She tasted the stew carefully, the hot broth barely burning the roof of her mouth when she swallowed. It tasted wonderful, and the smell filled the kitchen and wafted into the other rooms.

After a brief moment of searching, she found two bowls and a ladle, the sounds of dishes clinking momentarily drowning out her humming. Carefully, not wanting to spill the hot stew on herself, Rhia filled the bowls almost to the brim and carried them into the living room.

"Here you go. Nothing fancy, but it's food," she announced, setting both bowls on the table in front of each of them.

After serving her guests, she gathered her journals and moved them off the table and onto the floor. However, she found she was doodling in the margins, abstract swirls and shapes that soon surrounded her notes. Sighing softly she put her pen down, returning her attention to her guests.

Korsu chuckled at Tatsu and said with a smile, "Don't worry. It's fine. I'm actually getting a kick out of it. I don't meet very many people who actually are willing to talk to me. Actually, you're the first. All the others are afraid of me." Then looking at Tara he said with another smile, "Hello Tara, and as Tatsu said, I'm Korsu. Pleased to meet you."

((Hmm.. that could have led to me not posting for awhile.. I didn't know we were moved to 3rd level!!))

Tatsu laughed and blushed beneath the dirt that covered her pale skin. "I'm a Hikamitsuian, I come from the islands off the coast of here. I've been traveling around for awhile, note the dirt, and I ran into Korsu here while looking for a hot meal." She flashed a grin that revealed surprisingly white teeth next to her dusty skin.

Shaylee paused for a moment as her ears caught the sound of someone else's footsteps besides those of her and the palace guard and heard a whisper. She looked over her shoulder to peek at who was there. Her eye caught a glimpse of a female. She growled slightly. "There goes my escape," she muttered to herself as she glanced around the alley to find another route out. She stopped and was bouncing on her toes with impatience.

She looked back again to see that the girl was still there. "Might as well recruit a little help," she mused and mimed to the girl to be quiet and pointed to an adjacent alley way that was mostly shadows and darted off in that direction she had indicated and climbed up to the roofs of the nearest building.