Welcome to Gaia! ::

How long had it been since she was scolded? Five years? Ten? Lillian could barely remember but now the feeling of wanting to hide had reared it's ugly head. Usually she didn't care what adults said. Her way had always worked and she believed it would keep working. Until now.

Guilt sat heavy on the young lass's back as she avoided Aphismet's powerful stare. Her hands fell to clasp at her wrists and wring the flesh as her stomach quivered. It was one thing to disappoint an adult, but not Aphismet. "N-No..." She uttered. Of course she didn't want Tyson to get sick. Yet they had been fine eating like this for two years now and so far neither of them had caught a devastating illness or died. Was it really that serious?

Lillian finally raised her eyes to look up at Aphismet when his arms fell to his sides. He was just looking out for them, like a real friend would do. This wasn't something to take offensively. The teenager bit her lower lip as she thought it over. "I-I promise..." She spoke at last. "But I don't want to be of bother for you. I don't want to suck up all your time."

"Hm? Oh yeah, sure." Tyson grinned and took a few steps back. The lad's eyes narrowed as he measured the ground and how far their little trio was from the rocks. This should be pretty interesting. Even if Iorek couldn't beat Rivener just to see the two raevans face off would be a fun sight. "Okay. You're good."

The lad whistled at how far the rock went and clapped his hands in response. "Nice, Riv. You have gotten stronger. I bet if you were still a frei it would have only gone halfway." He teased gently with a grin on his face.

Iorek watched with amazement at the distance Rivener's rock travelled. After realizing how strong he was, Reks had begun training to get stronger. For a good deal of time the raevan though he was the only one who had enough strength to toss rocks. Not anymore. Rivener had proven his thoughts wrong.

A wide smile took over as he raised his hands and clapped. The noise his two hands made colliding with the other made a booming sound but Iorek didn't seem to notice.

"Spectacular! You are a real anchor arms, Rivener." He complimented. "I am impressed!"

Iorek then drifted over to another rock and scooped it up easily. "My turn. Don't laugh if it doesn't go as far as yours." He asked looking to Rivener before sinking back his large hand the way a shot-putter would and launching it.

The rock traveled in the air a good distance before plopping down a few feet away from the sand dune that Rivener's landed behind.

The gargoyle raevan chuckled as he turned what body he had back to the group. "How was that?"

Lillian smiled at his words concerning how he thought of them as family. That eased her heart to hear such a thing and although she merely nodded in response to his words Lil couldn't have been happier. "Well, Aphi, a guy your age could be doing a lot of things right now. So many I don't feel like naming them." Now she just felt lazy but it was true! Aphi could be out hanging with pals, going to the movies, meeting women, playing a sport, working out at the gym, drinking at a bar, dancing at a club, enjoying a party, and many many more things. But instead he was giving her a lesson in nutrition.

"You sure about that? I mean, this house is a mess. Usually people fear coming here since they worry about getting sucked in the abyss." Lil laughed and pondered going to the store now. Riv was older now...he could handle the boys while she was gone just fine.

"Alright, alright. But shouldn't I change first?" She asked as she picked up the grocery bags and held them firmly. Before she got an answer, Lillian slipped into the garage with the bags and put them away in the freezer that did not contain a mummy or a frozen fish.

Lil shrugged her shoulders when she returned to Aphismet's side and was given the question. "A lot of things. I only feel comfortable with the microwave and at times the stove. Maybe the a knife? I've cut myself way too many times though to use the big and extra sharp ones." She cringed recalling all those accidents that turned her to using a dull knife. "And no, we don't have a deep fryer."

Tyson grinned at Rivener and leaned back on his heels to watch Iorek's impressive throw. Even if he hadn't beaten Rivener it was still an accomplishment.

A slight tinge of pink could be detected upon the stone flesh as Rivener laughed over Iorek's words. He smiled shyly and nodded, "Yes, just like Popeye. You have his strength while I have his arms." A grin swept in when he thought about how much in common he had to the fierce cartoon sailor. It was very humorous.

The blush only grew worse at the compliment Iorek received from his elder raevan. "Thanks Riv. Hm? Oh! Usually I follow that rock with a bigger one." He pointed to a larger stack of rocks to the other side of them. "With every throw I increase the weight, but we can do something else if you want. You've proven with flying colors that you could beat me any day." Reks laughed and picked up one of the larger stones, cradling it in a hand as his other hand's claw drew lazy circles into it's form.

Lillian laughed at Aphi's words and nodded in agreement. "We can always tie a robe around your waists too so if you guys do wander off and get lost all we have to do is get Reks to tug you back." With that she nodded to Aphi and hurried up to her room very happy to get rid of the mud covered clothes.

Iorek smiled at Rivener and nodded quickly. "Once I grow you and I will need to have a true face off. Until then though it's nice to aspire to something." With that being said he tossed the boulder and watched it fly through the sky. When it hit a ground a low rumble that sounded similar to far off thunder shook the area.

Both the raevan and Tyson turned their heads to look in the direction that their voices were called in. Iorek drifted away from the hefty pile of rocks as he followed after Tyson who had scurried over to meet his close friend halfway.

The youth grinned like the chesire cat at Aphi's compliment. Just what he wanted to hear! "Well thank you, Aphi. I'm glad you noticed. I'm really looking like a teenager, huh?" His smile didn't fade when he was taken into a hug. He didn't even mind that it made him feel like a little kid again, having Aphismet bestow affection on him was nice. The older man was similar to what he thought a big brother or uncle would be like. It was nice!

Iorek nodded to Aphi and once the man's hands were free he stretched out a large hand in greeting. "Hello there, Aphismet. It is good to see you again. Please keep an eye on Lil while you two are out." He said with a smile on his face, not seeming to notice the who was standing just a few feet away.

"Iorek, come on now. I'm old enough to keep an eye on myself." Lillian stood on the sand slope above the boys in a sundress and sweater having cleaned up nicely compared to what she was wearing before. "Now, if you boys are alright I'll be going. There are snacks in the fridge if you get hungry. Just be careful while I'm away. Neither of you are invincible."

Iorek nodded in response to Aphi's reassuring words. The confidence that brimmed on the man's face soothed his prickling nerves. It was easy to see the raevan sink back in his stance and relax when he heard that Lillian would be safe.

Iorek and Tyson both shared a laugh at Rivener's heroic pose. Even Lillian spouted a giggle.

When the two adults disappeared over the hill Iorek looked back to Rivener and arched one of his high slanted brows. "You have the ability of poison?"

"Whoa, whoa! You actually poisoned someone?" Tyson chirped with surprise. Sure he knew that Rivener had such a threatening skill. He had been threatened with it once or twice in his days of being an annoyance. But to hear that it had been used made the lad's eyes widen with surprise and amazement. It was startling news but amazing all the same.

"Tell me what happened when we're walking in." The lad told the raevan as he took a few steps forward. His finger jabbing back towards the house. Exactly what they were going to do he had no clue but Rivener did have a point.

Reks floated after them, his eyes examining Rivener closely as he tried to figure out how he released his poison. Was he kind of like a vampire? Where he'd sink his teeth into his victims flesh and pump out the poison that way? Or...maybe it was his wing? That resembled a scorpion's stinger and seemed logical.

What hit the stony raevan the most was not only did Rivener possess great strength, but also a deadly power. It was something even he may not have a chance of standing against.

Like a dog being called to supper, Iorek's long ears perked up at the word, 'intruder'. Quickly he floated closer to the pair and looked to Tyson then to Rivener. "We've only had one intruder so far since I've been here." He said with a grimace as he recalled the night he frightened away the thief. "I managed to scare them away but they struck inside the house. It's..." Iorek waited until Tyson was over the hill to whisper, "It's not always a safe haven."

Tyson waited patiently for the two raevans to reach the top of the hill to start his walk towards the house. Just by standing there, with his hands tucked casually into his jean pockets, revealed a little of how much he had grown. A few years back he would have been gallivanting about and bubbling with adoration over Rivener. Yet now he simply held his stance and looked between the two raevans as if they were your regular average joe.

But a ten year old can only go so far when it came to tales of heroism. As Rivener looked back on his past the boy listened intently to every word. Sure he tried to act as if it was no big deal, but the wide smile creeping across his lips and the width his eyes had grown to told of the excitement that was dancing inside his chest.

"You poisoned Isi? Wow..." He blinked with surprise, not sure whether to be amazed or appalled at this news. "Good thing it wasn't a strong of dose or anything." Tyson replied with a weak laugh as he brought a hand up to rub the side of his head as a shiver ran down his spine. All those times he had been an a** to Rivener one would have thought he'd have been the one at the end of a poisonous needle. Yet it had been Isi, a member of Rivener's family, that had received the blow.

But the lad said not another word concerning the incident other than what had already fallen from his lips. Instead, he went on to praise the raevan for the courage he had shown concerning the band. "Looks like you're becoming a real hero, Rivener. You switched your goals and are using your powers for good. You even saved a damsel in distress!" The youth snickered. "Perhaps I was right when I mistook you for a super hero when we first met."
Course when they first met he had become the bane of Rivener's existence or at least the scum between his non-existent toes. But that had been at least two years ago, so where he stood now on the raevan's love to hate list was unclear to the youth.

Iorek stared at the other raevan with great curiosity. It was as if one of the heroes from a comic book had been brought to life. The stories Rivener told tickled his long ears and made him stare with great amazement. Such great courage and will to protect that his brethren possessed had been born from mistakes. It was...brilliant!

The young male jumped when he was addressed by his elder. He blinked with surprise, having completely forgot for a brief moment what they were talking about. "I...uh....umm..." Iorek's long limbs tensed from nerves as his mind scrambled to recall Rivener's question.

What about him? Oh....yeah...he scared away that thief a few months ago. Right. How did he do it again?

"I...I...." Iorek didn't enjoy talking about his moments of glory. His nerves always became pinched and that terribly pink returned to his cheeks. This was the reaction Lillian always cooed like a mother bird at. It was the emotion embarrassment.

Shyly Iorek shrugged his great shoulders, "All I did was go down the stairs. I think I roared and threw a few things...It all happened so fast I don't remember all of it." He told the raevan ever so casually not putting a whole lot into the story. There wasn't much he could recall to begin with. Like he said, it had happened so fast he react upon instinct and was blinded by it.

"But of course I am. They are my family." The gargoyle added in the end as a gentle smile sat on his lips.

Tyson laughed and nodded as he recalled the event. "We were both scared out of our wits but Iorek did great! He floated in front of the window so he looked really spooky, did you know his eyes glow at night? Anyways, so he looked like his hulking beast and he let out his great roar and lifted up a coffee table! It was great!" He looked at Iorek and nodded with his chest puffed out in great pride. Iorek had shown great bravery that night.

As the boys stood on the outskirts of the lawn, a car sat by the drive way. Black in color and slick in style it rests on the side of the road lying in wait.

Now it was Tyson's turn to blush with embarrassment. As much as he wish he could let go of his past fascination with made up super heroes he couldn't. Months ago he had come close to erasing the heroic tales from his mind but a certain floating torso had brought back his interest in the stories. "Whatever." He mumbled with a roll of his eyes. "All that matters is you saved them." The boy added in about the ordeal. Some heroes just didn't want to consider themselves as such. Seemed like Rivener was just one of those types.

Iorek smiled when his senior spoke of his deeds. It certainly made his the little chest he possessed swell with a sense of pride. Ah! It was pride. Such an emotion that he rarely ever admitted to feeling.

"Thank you..." His deep voice rumbled as his eyes shone with a mixture of remaining pride and timidness. "But hopefully I won't ever have to resort to such a showing any time soon." After all, although the event had been a reassuring moment that he'd be able to keep the family safe it had still been terribly frightening. To actually think that it could happen again caused a powerful shudder to race down Iorek's large arms.

His smile only grew when contact was made between them. A bonding moment! Times like these brought people closer together to make friendships form or deepen existing ones. Unlike some raevans who would have quaked under the pressure of Rivener's strong hand, Iorek remained sturdy under the weight. Nothing seemed to make this raevan off balanced aside from the occasional kind words from a friend.

Tyson walked quickly up the old creaky steps of the mansion to beat the raevans into the house. He turned on a toe and shrugged casually at Rivener's question. "It was too dark to really tell, but I think they were nabbing a mask. It may not look it but..." His eyes swiveled left and right to gather in all the objects that hung on the walls, sat peacefully in the corners, or hang on the ceiling. "A lot of this junk would cost a pretty penny if it was put up for sale. We don't really enjoy it, but we've adjusted and grown used to it. Ever since we were little this stuff has been around."

He reached out and readjusted an oil painting that had been hanging crookedly on the wall. "Since it's stuff that's been sent to us by our parents, it's kind of become their presence. Ya know?" The boy's hand wiped off some dust that sat on a statue's curled hair, his eyes not raising to catch Rivener's. "Since they aren't around, we like to think that this stuff...is kind of them. Stupid yeah but it helps. They don't call a lot because of the areas they go into don't get service and it's been...all most a year now since we've seen them smack dab in front of us."

Iorek flew low and tugged at the carpet to get rid of the hump that had nearly wiped out Lillian earlier. Just like Tyson he was attempting to make the large home with it's ancient mess seem presentable to their guest. His eyes looked up at Rivener and the raevan tilted his head towards another room. "The living room is through that room right there. It's a little cluttered but there are places to relax. Just watch your head and make sure you don't knock anything over." He said so casually even though when he first came to home he knocked things left and right. Several pieces of pottery went mysteriously missing from inventory after his arrival but Lillian nor Tyson will ever tell the folks exactly what had occurred.

With Rivener resting peacefully in the living room Tyson ditched his efforts to clean up the walk way. He'd do it later when the other left. "Come on, Reks." Tyson called over to the raevan who had drifted over to peer out the window.

"That car...It's back again..." Iorek grumbled to Tyson, just above a whisper.

But just like Lillian the lad shook his head at his worried charge. "Realtors. Don't worry. Come on." With a gentle smile Tyson walked over and took a hold of one of the raevan's large hands. "Let's go back and chat with Rivener."

Miraculously directing the large floating torso away from the window, Tyson led him over to where Rivener casually rested against the couch.

Iorek floated upon a chair while Tyson plopped down beside Rivener and smiled lightly at the black and red raevan's comforting words. "Yeah, but what can you do? They really love their job and people need them."

His eyes raised to look at the pictures that hung around the room. Pieces of the Maevin's past decorated the walls of the living and other parts of the house. The two children posing with the servants or smiling beside the other were all over the place. Yet the faces of their parents could not be found among those little Lillian and baby Tyson were amongst.

"Cluttered, yes. But...think of it this way. We got the whole world under our roof. Treasures that were hidden were found by my parents and now reside in our humble home." Ty laughed and looked out the window. "Huh. They must have stopped at the one a few miles from the front gates."

Loud barks could be heard outside sounding that Marmaduke had come home from his walk around the home.

Lillian struggled to help get out the groceries and avoid being dragged down to the ground by the big dog as he jumped around the two. "Duke! Get down! Down boy!"

Tyson chuckled and rubbed his chin, pondering over Rivener's words for a sec. "I think the residents of this house can make a pretty good dragon if a challenge should come around. Heck, judging Iorek's strength we might just have two dragons siting around." He returned the smirk and looked over to Reks who was focused on the happenings outside.

"Are you sure, Aphi?" Lillian called over her shoulder as she nudged Duke towards the house. Yet when she saw he had it all covered the teen turned about and brought the dane inside the home without another care; making sure to keep the door open so Aphi could get in without any problems arising.

By the time the duo had parked the car the mysterious black car was gone. Yet Lillian would certainly hear about it once the guests had gone home.

Marmaduke's paws thundered loudly against the wooden floors as he raced into the living room. The dog barked a hardy bark when he spotted the scorpion raevan but was silence by the tug to his collar from Tyson. "Oh shush, Duke." The boy mumbled.

The pair in the living room and the lass on her way to the kitchen certainly perked up at the call Aphi gave and the response he received. Such an odd feeling coursed through their veins over it. Such a homey little touch had been added to the air. It felt out of the ordinary but nice. Since they always traveled together rarely did they ever shout out that phrase for no one would ever say, 'Welcome back!'.