Welcome to Gaia! ::

Harry hesitated, before continuing with her, absently reaching out and squeezing her hand when she mentioned the dreams. He knew how much they troubled her, and because they were about him...that made it a little more scary.

So he smiled and took the lead, pulling gently on that hand, proving to her that there was nothing to worry about except there not being enough food for them, like he always did. Letting her be the first one into the light and warmth with a gentle nudge forwards.

Everything would be okay as long as he could take care of his friends.

Thud.

It was a soft sound, something on the very edges of Henry's hearing. Ironically an ear twitched.

He looked around him. The others were in the process of planning out an attack of food that was the usual ending for these parties.

Ever so carefully, he ducked under the table and crawled his way passed all the bruised and dirty knees, and finally to the exit, just in time to miss a launched sandwhich that smacked against the door.

Outside the night was cool, probably cooler then it had been for a while for Henry, which was odd. Vaugly he rubbed his shoulder and moved towards the pier again. He was worried his muscles were starting to cramp after that swim, though he honestly thought he'd stretched enough before and after...

The world buckled in and Harry fell off the pier, dragged into the water with a strangled shout...

I don't want to die....

Suddenly Hat.

One of them.

A top hat to be precise. It was black as night, though dusty as can be. It was clearly very old, and very used. But very loved. Embroidered around it by a very careful hand were wings, not true wings but very finely crafted and stylized bat wings.

The was high above the quiet village, it disturbed nothing and no one as it simply glided downwards landing on a section of the market of no particular significance at all.

It managed to land brim down, as if the ground was wearing it, and kicked up a small tussle of sand in the process.

The Hat was ignored. Many villagers owned top hats, the haberdashery made them on special request. This Hat was not special.

Any yet for one girl it was. She was sitting by herself, hands in her lap, staring at nothing when it landed. And she, Mary, Silent Singing Mary, with no voice to call her own, scurried out and picked it up. It was far too big, but she didnt care. She set it on her head and looked very silly. She couldnt see forward, only the ground in front of her. But that was fine, Mary always looked at the ground. And then she continued on home.

Kana would find herself way, away from home.

Lunea and the area that surrounded it almost seemed plucked from another world. It was quiet, and peaceful, shops and roadside attractions disappeared. Grass grew for miles up to your waist. Infact, the only sign that pointed toward Lunea was painted by hand with a large paintbrush on a plank of wood and stapled to a large tree pointing right.

The field became farm. Grass became wheat growing at neck length on either side for a good mile before one reached the villiage entrance proper. This was basically two large logs with a few planks of wood spanning between them, and a large single plank nailed to that crudely. It was painted on beautifully, in purples and blues and blacks and read "Lunea". The lettering was gorgeous, and done by hand.

Everything in Lunea was done by hand.

Kana was headed for the Harbor...

...but she would never reach it without being attacked...

...by a hail storm of "Hello!", "Howdy!", "Heyo, Hiyo, Eyo, Yo" and many other variants.

This was a small town, everyone knew each other so a visitor stood out like a sore thumb. And in Lunea if you had a sore thumb, everyone did what they could to help. So Kana greeted by honest, friendly greetings. There nothing to mistrust, no lies, this place was pure.

Infact, while most people called out there greeting and waved, by the time she reached the center of "town" (Which was 30ft from the entrance), she would find herself being rushed by three ladies. One was in her twenties, one her forties, and one a grandma for sure. The middle age woman ran up beside her, the other surrounded her....

And she was presented with a basket! Hand woven! In it were fruits, several candles, some flowers, a bar of soap, a small lump of iron (this was a mining town), and some of Mack's dried fish in a box. In others she was given...

...A welcome gift basket for ya ma'am.

Was said in a warm, homely, peaceful voice. It came from the eldest, who walked with a cane, and wore a plain yellow sundress with a large straw hat, one with flowers in the bun. She was...

Anne Majors, 'first person t'spot ya, so's I'm head of the welcoming committee.

She gestured to her right, at the two younger ladies.

These are m'kids. Carrie Munroe and...

Carrie nodded and bowed, her white apron covering her baby blue dress. Carrie was clearly married, and had a daughter named...

...Jamie Munroe.

The little girl in her small purple dress bowed, and adjusted the hat two sizes to big for her head.

We run the Hatters, right o'er there. Best view in town. W're always here first.

She pointed at small hat shop just a short step from the entrance with a clear line of sight right at it. And it was infact called "The Hatters" as it was written in red paint, with the same beautiful hand writing that wrote "Lunea" on the entrance. She seemed very proud. And of course, the three women were.

....So happy to meet you miss....?

Well they waited.

And they waited.

And then Anne, just reached forward and snatched Kana by the arm, lacing her own around the younger womans. An old ladies grip, not a threat. and said.

We got a scared one here girls! You know what that means!

This happened alot really. People werent used to everything being alright. Most people broke down, choked, some literally gasped, others pretended to be perfectly okay while inside waiting for a knife to come for there back. But there'd be no knife, not ever, not here. And with time, people got used to it.

Like little Jamie here, who perked up, revealing her freckled face under that large hat and tried to grab Kana's other arm, as she declared.

Pie!

And they proceeded to walk, skip in the case of one, hobble in the case of another toward the deeper side of town. Away from the mountain and toward the harbor.

It was midday, and the harbor was very very much alive. People bustling to shops, people running across the stone cobbled streets. They werent meaner, just busier, so while no one ignored Kana, most sufficed to give a smile and a nod or a wave. Anne chose to talk.

'Doesnt really matter who you are, your here so your a' friend.

She smiled a dentured smile.

And we're gon' have some pie. What kind do ya like? Apple? Pumpkin? Maribelle has just 'bout everything y'can think of.


Maribelle. Likely the owner of Maribelle's Goodies, the shop they were heading towards. The already smelled like a cinnamon, cookies, cake, and fresh bread. It was about then that Anne decided to continue.

She's got more than pie o'course, an' yer welcome to it.

She'd lead them straight inside and to a large table, enough for all of them with a windowed view to the beautiful dock and ocean.

So what're ya havin'?

Anne, Carrie, and Jamie looked at Kana like she grew a third eye.

Maribelle herself arrived, she took the order herself. She had a small pad, and a pencil as she approached the table with her hair full of platinum blonde and white locks tied in a bun. She had a long blue dress, and a red and purple apron covered in hearts and flowers and birds, in blue yellow and few other pastels. She was a robust woman, but clearly jolly.

She wants a milk.

Just milk?

Yah.

Maribelle turned to Kana looking honestly concerned. She'd even reach to check her temperature with the back of her hand.

You know every things free right lass? Its a first timers special.

She pointed around the table with her pencil.

Why do ya think they're already so eager? Free loaders, the whole bunch!

Anne, Carrie, and Jamie retreated under there hats like they each had grown a third eye. This made Maribelle laugh, breaking the laughter to say.

Ahh, but we love them anyway. But this milk business...

She waved her pencil in the air.

This wont due. We're gonna start you off with some apple pie, fresh out the oven, lets see...

She held up her wrist reading a small wrist watch.

Its still early, so I'm gonna throw in some pancakes, toast, bacon, eggs, maybe some orange juice?

She paused, but it really wasnt really a question. She answered it herself.

Yep. Orange juice. You drink coffee? 'Doesnt matter, I have a full pot and need someone to share it with.

Anne raised her hand. She didnt get a chance to speak before Maribelle spoke up.

Usuals, the three of ya. I know.

And with a sunshine bring smile she was off. Anne grinned at Kana, and answered her with a simple, honest innocence that just couldnt be denied.

I wouldnt call it awful. But ya. Why wouldnt we be?

Like it was the simplest question in the world.