Welcome to Gaia! ::

Her eyes cracked open. She wasn't quite sure she wanted to get up yet. Then she blinked, a flush spreading through her face as she remembered Chaeval in the other room. With a giggle, she sat up, swinging her legs over the side of the bed. It would not do to stay in bed late when there was a friend in the other room. Listening just before opening the door, she smiled when she didn't hear anyone moving around. Chae was late this time. Not her.

She peeked into the room, but then frowned when she didn't see her there. After checking the other rooms, Effie scowled slightly. Chae wasn't there. Sitting down at the kitchen table, she wondered where Chae had gotten as her teeth tugged on her lower lip.

"A note! Maybe she left me a note!" Jumping to her feet, she began looking around in the spots that Chae normally left something for her. When she found it, she frowned as she continued to read it. Chae was headed to a shop. She had written the address down and left for it immediately. Effie was supposed to meet her there. Keeping the note in her hand, she thought about what to take with her.

Chae had left her a list.

She snickered as she gathered her purse, held onto the paper, and locked the door behind her. Chae had remembered everything.

Effie got out the door and about 3 blocks away when she frowned suddenly. The advertisement about catfood on the bench stared back at her for some inexplicable reason. She blinked, her forehead furrowing as her teeth tugged on her lower lip.

Shaking her head, she mused as much to the air as herself, "If she went directly there, then she didn't check her kitties."

The eyes of the cat in the poster stared at her.

Effie shook her head moving forward, but the eyes followed her.

Two more steps.

Two more stares as they continued to watch her.

She glanced at the paper in her hand, the quickly shoved it into her pocket.

"Cats first. Then the shop. Chae will just have to tell me that I'm late again." Abruptly turning around as the bus arrived at the stop, she sighed. "Why am I always late? Just once I'd like to be on time."


Fifteen minutes later, Effie was standing in front of Chaeval's apartment door. She glanced around to see if anything indicated that Chae had been there. The mail was still in the box and she removed it to put it inside. Then she noticed the paper on the step in front of her. It was that morning's and delivered early.

Chae had not been there yet.

The kitties needed taken care of before she went to find her. That would help Chae in some way. At least she hoped it would.

Taking the key from the normal hiding place it was always in, Effie opened the door to see the cats sitting on the couch.

"Hello, kitties." she laughed. "Have you been good while she's been gone?" Placing the mail down on the counter with the paper. Turning to them, she stopped for a minute to pet each one. They'd have missed Chae that morning and all through the night.

"Bear, Pumkin, and Cringer, I'm going to get you some food and water. Then I'm going to go find you mistress. And of course, I'm going to be late again." she giggled. "But you are all very important, so I think she won't mind."

Nearly a half hour later, Effie left the apartment. She even laughed as she remembered to replace the key and lock the door as she left.

Pulling the slip of paper from her pocket that had the address on it, she said, "And now to find Chae."

::Looking For Chaeval::

Eftemie Solo

Her step was light as she walked down the street towards her apartment. She'd forgotten all about looking for Chaeval at this point. Passing by a flower stand, she suddenly stopped upon seeing her favorite color and type of blossom. A moment later, she walked away with a giggle thinking how they'd look in that crystal vase she had. But then as she thought about it, she decided that they might actually look nicer in that old clay teapot in the center of the table.

At that point, she stopped at several other shops down the street before she made it to her block. Twice she had tripped nearly dropping the items in her arms, but each time someone had reached out to grab hold of her and help. Thanking them profusely and with several peals of laughter, she finally moved away from the crowded area.

By the time she unlocked her door and had walked inside, Eftie had changed her mind four times about what to put the flowers in. Glancing up at the clock, she realized that she should have eaten long ago. No wonder her critters, as she called them, were staring at her.

"Alright. Alright." she snickered, her eyes amused at them. "I'm working on it. Give me a few minutes."

After placing food in their dishes, she pet each one. They'd settle down later and she'd play with each one of them. After setting her alarm for the next day and writing out a list of some things she needed to remember, she shoved the hair from her eyes.

The sound of crumpled paper came from her pocket drawing her attention that direction. Slipping her hand in and pulling it out, she stared silently for several moments.

Chaeval.

A bit of worry slipped into her expression. Where had she been? And why hadn't she seen her? She was certain the shop she had gone to was the proper one. But then there had been a great deal going on. Maybe she simply missed her.

Carefully putting the address where she would remember it, Eftie decided to try again. In the meantime she'd check Chae's cats. In the morning and maybe... just maybe, Chae would be there and she'd not need to go.

--
"Three o'clock." she growled at herself. She'd planned on being there early in the morning to check on Chaeval and her felines. There still had been no word. No notes. No messages of any sort hanging on her door where Chae usually left a slip of paper for her.

It really bothered her that there had been nothing from her friend.

Thoughts of the children on milk cartons crossed her mind's eye and she snickered in spite of what she was really feeling. She'd have to mention it to Chae when she finally caught up to her.

"I hope she's there." she muttered. "I wonder what has happened. She never just disappears for no reason. Never."

She checked the spot where the extra key always was. Chae had always told her to let herself in rather than wait outside if she was expecting her. She wasn't expecting Eftie, at least not at the apartment, but after knocking several times and still getting no reply, she did just that. Let herself in.

The cats glanced up from where they were when she walked inside. After petting each one, she headed for the kitchen. Everything looked the same as it had. Where was Chaeval?

Scowling she muttered to herself absently as she fed the cats. Eftie waited around for a couple hours before leaving a note and heading for the door. She glanced around hoping that she'd done what was needed. She had fed the felines and watered the plants. There wasn't much else she could do. Was there?

Feeling like she was forgetting something, she paused at the door for an instant. A frown firmly set on her face, she opened the door. Feeling the brush of fur against her ankle caused her to flinch. One of the cats was making a getaway. Feet tangled and suddenly she missed as she nearly had it by the tail. A second lost in falling and then the rest were out the door and down the stairs.

"Come back here! Pumpkin!" she growled, on her feet and following at a run. By the time she reached the bottom step, the felines were nowhere in sight. Now she had not only a missing friend, but three missing felines to round up as well.

Some days were never easy.

::Finding Byrne, But Meeting Kaelin Pt. 2::

Co-Post with Chaeval, Merci`
Eftemie smiled as she walked away. She liked him for some unknown reason, but finding Byrne had become her main objective. Other than finding Chaeval. And of course, she was late. Although if she thought about it, she really wasn't late this time, but last time she was here since it was the first time. Of course, she had been definitely late then. Then there was the god-eating appliance in the kitchen. Chae would never believe her. Not in a million years. She'd merely stare at her and say, "You're late." and she would laugh and admit to it. Then they would both laugh because she was always...

Suddenly stopping, she glanced down, her lips turning upwards as she nearly stepped on him by not paying attention. "Hello, Byrne. What are you doing?"


"Yes, you know me. I was here that night the refridgerator ate you and the others. I'm Eftemie." she said and then smiled more. "I thought I'd visit you and see how you were."

She laughed, sitting down on the floor beside him. Glancing at the doors in front of them, she asked, "Is this your room?"


She watched him silently taking in the scribbling on the papers scattered around them. It was like he just couldn't quite see what it was he wanted. Her teeth tugged on her lip a moment, her eyes narrowing as he continued to stare at the door for some reason.

"Byrne, what's wrong?" she asked, wondering if he'd forgotten she was there already. "Can I help with something?"


She giggled as she watched him. She could easily see that he'd not made these although there were several notes scrawled here and there that looked as if maybe he'd tried to adjust things small portions in some way that only he understood.

"I left your mop in the kitchen. Didn't you get it back? I was sure you would find it there." Pointing to the papers, she said, "Is something wrong with your plans? Don't you like them?"



"Your mop will still be there waiting for you. Maybe you can find a place in your room for it, too." she smiled. "After all it helped defend you against that thing that tried to eat all of you."

"Hmm..." she tilted her head slightly looking over the papers and then back at him. "This is a little confusing. It must be why you keep frowning."

Glancing up at the doors, she studied them for a minute. "Maybe you just need to see what is there already. Sometimes when you look at the actual things there, it will give you an idea of what to change. You'll know when you look at something if you like it or not, won't you?"

Smiling, she shrugged slightly. "I forget things like this even if I draw plans and just decide by looking at it what I like and what I don't like. It's easier for me. It might be for you."



"I understand that." she said softly. "I forget too many important things sometimes. I get distracted."

Pursing her lips she stared at the door. Then she turned back to him. "I don't think there's a wrong way, Byrne. It's your room and so long as you like it, that's what counts, isn't it? And if you have room for things like your mop and your pets, then it should work alright. You can always change it later if you see something you don't like, can't you?"


"What makes you think that it's not right?" she frowned, wondering what it was that he felt he was missing. She often took things she saw and copied them in some way, but added them her way so that it was not the exact same as what another had. Maybe he had seen something or wanted something like someone he knew had in their room.

"Is there something that maybe you have seen somewhere else that you liked and wanted? Kaelin showed me his room with the waterfall and pool of fish. Maybe you saw something someone else liked and liked it too."



She glanced at the papers again. "I'll help you if you tell where everything is. Maybe I can figure out what you think you might have missed. Then you can help me afterwards."

With a quick smile, she held her hand out. "Deal?"


"hmm.." she murmurred as she took the papers from him. Staring at the one on top, she turned it sideways. Then she turned it again. Then a third time. It still looked the same. Her lips twitched slightly. "This sounds really silly, but which way is up on this one."

She tried not to giggle, but then it just bubbled out. "I guess I could put that one aside and look at another one while you decide." Pushing the top one at him, she laughed. "I'll look at the next one."


She blinked at it a moment, then smiled. "Oh! That makes sense now."

Pulling out two others that looked like it, she put one to each side of it. Pointing at the ones she had just placed down, she smiled.

"This one has your wall of water on it, but so do these two. Only partially though because there are other things there too. It's big enough to take up some distance. It gives them plenty of room to move I think, but also allows your pets to drink from it or play in it a little bit. That's what I didn't think fit." Turning to him she said, "That should work really well. And the trees will make it shady and cozy for the nests."


"Glass over all of it? They need water to drink and if there isn't some open, then are you going to put down bowls for them? It would probably be messy." she frowned slightly. "Glass works for the fish, but if you have other creatures, they need a small pool or something to drink from."

She pointed to a spot in the drawing. "If you put it there, then it would look like the fish are swimming from it and up the wall. It would be really pretty I think."



"No, it won't get on you. It's just a small bit of water for them and if it's magical as you say then it won't ever move from where you put it. That also puts it in the corner away from the nests and the rest of the places that I can see that you would like more. And you don't have to put down bowls of water for them either." she smiled.

"I think that will work nicely and you still get to use their ideas they made for you too. I met Beryl that night, but I don't remember anyone named Ea. I must not have met them yet." she added distractedly. "Is Ea a friend of yours?"



"I see." she said, her lips twitching upwards. "Maybe Harmodious just hasn't had the time to help you yet. I'm sure that if Ea asked him for you that he would. And even friends get angry at each other from time to time. I'm sure my friend is annoyed at me sometimes because I'm always late."

She was forgetting something and it was right on the tip of her tongue. But it just remained vague and would not show up for her for anything. Turning back to the papers, she said, "We've figured those out and what they are. Let's see what else we have."



She studied the portion with the water closer for a minute.

"Byrne, can you do part of your room at a time? If you did just a small portion of it, you might see what you want to change better than dealing with all these and getting them mixed up again. You could do the water and just put grass everywhere else for now. It might let you see what it looks like before you finish it all. I mean if it's magical, could it be done that way?"

She didn't pretend to know anything about magic. It just seemed logical to her that maybe he could do a small portion at a time and get it the way he wanted without having to worry about the entire thing. It seemed like alot to do.

Day in and day out. Reminders would flash brightly and questions would appear. As quickly as seen, they were gone. The only constants were confusion in one and exasperation in the other. But as the thoughts began to settle, familiarity appeared. It led to more understanding for the first and lessening for one.

The rain pattered on the window pane as she stared out to the street below. Nothing was moving on this gray and extremely dismal day. Birds curled up in the windowsills next to one another in protection of the weather.

She suddenly laughed, thinking that she'd invite Chaeval over and burn some popcorn. Watch a movie. Play a game. Then she remembered that Chae was still missing. Something flickered through her eyes and then vanished as quickly.

Abandonment?

Loneliness?

Anger?

"Oh where the hell is she?!" she groused as she watched the person coming down the street pull their coat tighter as a gust of wind slapped the rain into them whipping the tail upwards. As they shuddered, her face scowled further.

Go back...

She blinked.

Go back... there...

An eyebrow raised as her eyes slightly narrowed still watching another person tugging on their clothing while waiting for the bus.

"Go back where?" she asked absently as a car's lights briefly made her eyes shine in the reflection.

Go back.. there...

She blinked again, eyes turning as she focused on the room around her. Nothing there but a thought came to mind for only a fraction of time. Eftemie burst into laughter as she smirked it to the air.

"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!"

Then it was gone and she was once more watching the lights that caught her attention.

Surprise echoed causing more sparkle within. Amusement shimmered brightly for an instant.

"So think... would eat..."

Tired suddenly.

"Perhaps.. right..."

Sleep.

Perhaps...
_____________________
A slight disclaimer here.. There is a portion of The Jabberwocky within my post. It is not my creation but copied directly from Lewis Carroll's poem Jabberwocky. It's not being used for profit, but it fit my thoughts at the time and is one of my very favorite poems. It was used in admiration.

A violet phosphorescence lit the cavern faintly illuminating the walls, floor, and various pieces of a ruined yet once proud temple. Pillars rose upwards majestically only to vanish in jagged broken spires of what once was. Little remained of the marble steps that once sparkled greeting those who walked their path to their goddess. Now mere reminders of what once was. Echose of past glory long faded to dust resided there now.

The gray stone of the statue graced a marble pedestal in the center of the crumbling architecture. It's features- blurred with time- made one wonder if such a hideous creature truly existed for the artist to portray or if his imagination had run rampant through a nightmarish haze with a frantic midnight muse working overtime.

For an instant, the violet blue glow intensified flashing brilliantly up throughout the immediate area. Cracks appeared at the point where the pedestal met the curve of its body. Suddenly splintering upwards and around the entire surface. Violet rays of light gleamed from the inside, shattering outwards entirely, swallowing it in an iridescent burst that bounced blindingly around the ruins.

For an instant, nothing moved. The insects remained silent, refraining from their normal rubbing and clicking of bodily appendages. A slight breeze danced through, chilling, but for the briefest fragment of time, the only thing causing a disturbance.

Suddenly the purple monstrosity sitting in the fading glow, shivered, shaking as it merely balanced on the top of its marble perch where it had been frozen for who knows how many millenia. His single eye slowly opened. A raspberry hued orb glared peevishly around in confusion.

Did he know this place?

He blinked. The thought vanished as quickly as it had appeared. Still more confusion.

Cold.

He was cold, the shudders making his teeth rattle against one another for an instant. One wing stretched outwards, slowly inching its way to full length before slothfully drawing back as the other wing reached out in the opposite direction.

*Where..?* he thought, forgetting the other wing. Toppling off, he landed with a thud upside down rocking back and forth for a moment in stunned surprise, the huge eye blinking. The horn tipped him sideways making movement difficult so he simply lay there- thinking.

Chaotic images, sparkling from the depths of his memory as a temple of thoughts laced in vagueness, plopped firmly down on him. A rumbling slipped free, but was ignored in the mass turmoil that slammed into him. Too many feelings. To fast for him to digest. He shuddered again, but not from the cold.

Glimpses of musical laughter echoed sleepily from somewhere within his memories. The thought of *her* rose drowsily from the depths of his small mind nestled in the bottom of a very tiny brain. His jaw grimaced as his single brow furrowed deeply in thought.

*She laughed..* he grunted, then, *She....died....*

A flinch slid out.

*No laughter...*

*Dead... but...*

A gnashing of teeth as he contemplated the memory. At least the fragment he held in his grasp.

His eyelid closed for an instant as he continued to remain upside down on the cold rocky ground- remembering...

*Noone laughs..* her voice whispered, a weak transparent imitation of what it once was. Her hand reached out to touch him, softly stroking the top of his leathery purple body.

*Yeti... sleep..* Her hand became even more misty, nearly fading entirely for a fraction of an instant. *The last... sleep... until...* she continued softly.

*..until.. I need... you... again...* The faintest warmth of her hand reached through to him bringing a sigh.

*Again... When I need you again, my Yeti...*

Another rumble slipped out, but this time with a gnawing intensity that had not been there the first time. His stomach hurt.

*Hurt...* he mumbled, rolling over awkwardly, wincing as he pinched one wing slightly beneath him as he righted himself. A task that was not easy when one only had wings and no other appendages.

*Tasties... Hunt..*

Thoughts of the violet colored morsels he'd once chased down caused his mouth to shape a hideous grin, revealing several rows of small sharp teeth angled inwards in much the way sharks were. Four long fangs, two on his lower jaw and two on his upper jaw, gleamed sharply as his mouth watered at the thought.

Violet wings pushed the air, tugging the body upwards into the air, lopsidely swerving right, then left as he tried to gain control over flying again.

*Tasties... Tasties.. Mmm..... Tasties...* he chanted as he began checking the surrounding area for the morsels he vaguely remembered eating with relish.

*Tasties.. then Lissss... come back... I find...*




It felt as if he'd not eaten in forever. His lips wrinkled in slight distaste as he spit the rat tail from his mouth. It landed to the side as he finished crunching the rest of the creature left in his mouth.

*Rat... not good..* he mumbled. *Yeti wants tasties... I member tasties. Little purple people tasties.*

Rocking from side to side, he continued grumbling, unused to this particular food. Considering it was all he'd been able to find, one would have thought he'd be thankful for it. Instead he grumbled. Then he suddenly snerked as her smile slipped into view. She'd have laughed at his grumbling followed by turning him loose on the tasties of various colors. Then with his belly full, he'd have wobbled back to her satisifed.

His eye shut for a moment as he tried to think what to do. Her laughter slipped out into his mind again. He needed her. He needed tasties and she knew where the best ones were. As soon as it was dark, he'd look for her. She had to be somewhere. Afterall, she said that he would sleep until she needed him.

Well, he WAS awake. Determined to find her, he wrapped his wings about him for warmth as he waited for the sun to set.

He would find her.

She needed him to find her.

He woke to his stomach growling again. After several more... rats... he grumbled about his diet, muttering as his wings lifted him into the air. One such as he was not meant for meals consisting of rats. That was for those mindless animals, but as he'd been unable to find anything else, it sufficed.

Hopefully he would find her soon.

For two days he watched the humans scurrying here and there. Several times he gnashed his teeth at them. From a distance of course. There were too many and he was only one.

Servants such as he were drawn by their gods no matter the form they took. It was a feeling more than anything else- an instinct- and he was no exception to the rule. His wandering aimlessly took him to main thoroughfares with far too many people, but also to those places where the buildings were smaller.

Urgency slipped through him. He must find her. Soon.