Welcome to Gaia! ::

The world was a vibrant glowing mass that shifted from black to brown and dark red to the lightest orange, everything was so smooth and touchable. Everything looked so delicious!

A tingling surge of energy radiated from the small orange gem as shadows spun silken tendrils forth touching and sampling everything.

The figure laying prone under the window tasted cool and sweet, like some forbidden treat.

One lone tendril stroked the inside of the figures wrist, tentatively.

Opening one vaguely gold tinged opaline eye Trivii stared at the glowing trinket, engulfed in shadows and grumbled into her pillow.

Drawing closer the tendrils ghosted over and around the cat woman, the only familiar thing in a strange place, the Carnelian cabochon was more curious about her.

Poking and nudging slightly trying to garner a reaction, delighted and curious when her own shadow tendrils passed through the form, absolutely shimmering with amusement.

Waking all at once and chilled to the bone, Trivii stared at her Feind. "Now is that any way to treat your mother?"

Shimmering like the semi precious stone she was, the little one ducked behind a curtain, rippling with with some strong emotion.

Trivii got the distinct impression she was being laughed at.

The percolator on the counter dripped and hissed gradually filling the carafe with the rich dark liquid, and the room with an intoxicating aroma, so rich, so incomprehensibly unique it could only belong to one thing.

Coffee.

Trivii contemplated the brew, tempted but not able to drink the stuff herself she glanced outside her window at the fog and the small group of people working on landscaping the ancient and derelict gardens and sipped at her tea. It was time to get back to writing her article, but she really didn’t want to.

The day felt lazy.

Painted sepia shades of amber the world felt full of… full of… well full of something. And the lady wasn’t doing anything she was lazy.

And there was so much fun they could be having, they should be exploring, they should be in town, or that musty place with the weird walls, or, well doing something.

Those vapors looked neat, and really warm, drifting closer to Trivii, she came up short.

Spotting the little one drifting closer to her Trivii’s eyes narrowed, Carnelian had a definite air of mischief, it was one of those I didn’t do it, you didn’t see it, and can’t prove anything aura’s.

Shaking her head the cat girl slumped back into the counter, dragging one bare foot across the cool floor.

Carefully advancing again the wisp stopped enchanted by the percolator, vibrant wasps of fresh rich, oh gods, smell.

Carnelian held still, laying in wait.

Looking at her little one, Trivii felt her lips curling up, revealing slightly pointed teeth. Pivoting she pulled a latte/soup mug out of the cupboard and splashed milk in the bottom followed by a liberal amount of coffee, sliding it in front of Nell.

Sparking with interest, the curious gem moved forward slowly, sampling the coffee’s essence, like silk. Nell's inner light suddenly mellowing in rapture, then suddenly sharpening focus and shimmering wildly, like any girl presented with either fine silk or expensive chocolates.

The gem all but fell into the brew.

Trivii moved brusquely, the stretch of pavement between them and the quartet growing, golden eyes flashing viciously as the annoying little gem flitted after her. Angling her stride breezily towards the library her thoughts shifted uncharacteristically darkening, things were a million ways out of sorts.

Carnelian glowed for a moment, flickering with life rather than light, almost withdrawing from Trivii, then cheerfully hovering close enough that it’s shadow tendrils almost felt solid, as the touched Trivii and interacted with the woman’s own shadow.

But it wouldn’t take much to clean it up. Medusa Scales. Like shards of some mythical gorgon could really help fix the situation. No harm in doing a bit of research in the pretense of being helpful. No harm.

The echo of her footfalls surrounded her as the cat girl clattered up to the public computers and punched her key words into the search bar. Drumming her talon like nails on the desktop as the hourglass turned cartwheels on the monitors screen. Until finally….

“Bingo.”

Medusa: A Sea Nymph worshipped as a Serpent-Goddess. Cursed by a jealous Athena, to forever inhabit the snake like form of a Gorgon with serpents for hair, as a final insult, after destroying Medusa’s legendary beauty, Athena gave her the gift that her gaze would transform any who looked directly upon her to stone.

Representative of the universal Creation and Destruction in eternal Transformation. Guardian of the Thresholds between the realms of heaven, earth and the underworld. She is Mistress of the Beasts. Latent and Active energy. Connection to the earth. The union of heaven and earth. She destroys in order to recreate balance. She purifies.

The ultimate truth of reality, the wholeness beyond duality. She rips away our mortal illusions. Forbidden yet liberating wisdom. The untamable forces of nature. As a young and beautiful woman she is fertility and life. As crone she consumes by devouring all on the earth plane. Through death we must return to the source, the abyss of transformation, the timeless realm.

Scales: Thick armor like skin that protects creatures of Reptile Descent. References....

Whispering quietly to herself Trivii nodded. “That explains a lot.” Looking down at the sketch of Medusa’s Scales the cat girl borrowed a pencil and paper from the libraries stash and scribbled down a few hasty notes, finally rising gracefully to her feet she began to comb the vast rows of books, ands mentally break down her plan of action.

Vibrating happily, Carnelian sparked with its Guardians new enthusiasm.



Sweating and sticky from the heat and humidity arriving in the tiny country had been the easy part, however, finding the mythic West Gate of Death was bordering on the impossible.

After over a week of searching, interviewing experts and locals alike, she had finally found him, a sponge diver who called himself Aloyseus, claimed to have found a mist shrouded island riddled with ruins and ancient stone statues, it would be a challenge. But it wouldn’t be impossible to scour the island for the scales shed by Medusa or one of her sisters.

The glowing, shadow shrouded Carnelian clung closer to her with passing day away from the small town near Bass’ken, seemingly insecure with this new, wild setting. It was bothersome but no longer as annoying as it had been at the beginning of the adventure, reluctant though she was, a strong bond had sprung up between them, maybe, helping Mystic wasn’t such a trial after-all.

Really getting into the spirit of things the lively orange stone pressed as close as it dared to the Diver, as Trivii plied him with questions, not really paying attention to what was being said so much as the emotion the man shared through discussing the topic.

Carelessly invading the man’s space as he shuttled them to the strange miasma ensconced atoll, withdrawing into itself and closer to its Guardian again.

Absently disembarking the boat, the cat girl slid a hand over the wisp, collecting Carnelian’s shadows on her hand like a fist of her lovers hair, soothing the stone to hover by her ear she focused on Aloyseus. “You’ll come for me at Dusk, yes?”

“Ne.” The affirmative was accompanied by a grin and lazy shrug.

Tilting her head before starting inland Trivii finalized “Efharisto” waving with her thanks, she moved on, followed in stalker fashion by the small floating Carnelian.



Time drifted by in the never ending haze, one hour fading into the next as the mist captured so much light that the movement of the sun from east to west was almost completely obscured, the duo of woman and wisp moved in synchronous motions through the ruins.

Snake in every type, size and color flooding the darkest recesses of crumbling and weathered marble, as finally amber like eyes fell on a long single sheath of skin, silhouetting a half-woman half snake form.

Unfortunately, surrounded by the largest nest of vipers she had ever seen.
Dancing, in a swift leap to balance on a broken pillar, centuries older than herself, Trivii inched along, only a handful of centimeters above the swarming reptiles. There just a short distance away were the scales.

Biting her lip in hopes that it worked, the cat girl pulled at her inner reserved and flung lightning at the snakes, thankfully clearing a small platform to land on. She quickly dropped to the ground and scooped up as many scales as she could, filling her pockets even as the snakes began to surge towards her again.

Trivii did the only thing she could in the face of a large, hungry threat. And ran.

What place does a fair have for a ghost? Well something that is almost a ghost anyway...

Trivii glanced at Nell who moved as one with her shadow, a little spark of orange hovering near her shoulder blades. Shifting the weight of her courier bag, the cat girl powered on her digital camera and flicked on her digital audio recorder, before continuing forward towards the country gathering, county fair, harvest celebration whatever you want to call it.

Whatever. It was a story right? It got them out of the house and away from the damned Pixies didn't it?

Occasionally slipping out of her Guardians shadow Nell excitedly caught and shimmered in the odd ray of late summer light, seeming entranced by the growing gathering of people. Before carefulling retreating to Trivii's wake.

Amused, the cat girl snapped a few pictures of the new arrivals. Mentally observing the passing time and traditions from the groups seniors to children and young adults and new parents.

Conversations could be overheard as families compared this year to last year, the year before that, and the somber years of the great depression. The county fair was a time when one could observe the cycles of life, the days hot and the nights sultry.

Today could be more than human interest if she handled it right. Buying a nectarine from a small booth Trivii found a well shaded table to observe from as the day passed.

Very elemental in her presence the wisp vied for Trivii's attention, looping out long shadowy tendrils to molest the fruit and coax a smile.

Trivii snapped a quick picture of Carnelian and folding her arms on the table contemplated the little stone, that hovered and clung to shadows would she know after becoming a child, about all the adventures and chaos around her now?

Probably not.

Extending a hand to shelter Nell, Trivii resumed her study of the fair.

Content to shimmer quietly Nell's shadows slipped to fill the cracks between the cat girls fingers.

The day started out lazy.

Too bad it didn't end that way.

The garden was mostly shrouded in shadow, a beautiful September morning, the leaves not yet beginning to turn, but the weather much more comfortable, so grabbing a note pad and ushering Nell out of the house Trivii headed for the crooked tree in the furthest corner of her yard, its roots above ground enough to create a comfortable and natural throne.

Languishing, as much as a bit of stone can, in the shadows, Nell was resplendent, and easily distracting. The ever present cheerful shimmer radiating from her in content little waves.

A flutter of copper, or a brief sparkle caught the corner of Trivii's eye several times while she occupied herself in reading Snow White and Rose Red aloud to Nell, thinking it was the little fiend she ignored it and read on a bit more before looking up.

The book slipped from her fingers falling the short distance to the ground.

Jubilation danced from Nell, who was wrapping little tendrils of shadow around a sprite about equal with her in stature.

"Not more Pixies..." The exclamation came out as half moan.

Stiffening the regal little sprite glared at the Cat girl. "I'm not a Pixie, and I'll thank you to notice." Tossing a long braid the color of real gold over his shoulder, he leveled a dual colored glare at her from eyes that were deep green and gold. Gorgeous moth like wings opened and closed behind him. "I'm a Faery."

"Your pardon, but whats the difference?'

Aghast, the little man glared. "Whats the difference between you and a common house cat?"

"Point."

Warm waves of amusement sparkled out from Nell as curious tendrils of darkness continued to molest the Faery.

Bowing low, he looked at Nell, "Thank you my lady." Turning to Trivii he smiled coolly. "I am Allure, and I'm here to help you get rid of your Pixie infestation."

"Trivii." She nodded, "I don't know if I want more small winged creatures in my home."

Going uncharacteristically still, the stone radiated enigmatically.

"Certainly... but you must understand, my people have been at war with the Pixies for a long time... we have weapons and you don't." Fast as a spark, Allure was off towards the house.

Trivii started to rise, then collapsed back against the tree. Among conflicts with other societies, rarely are there only munitions involved, but also the technology to produce weapons along with the weapons themselves. As a result many societies produce their own weapons adding to the global overabundance in equipment for war.

A loud crash from the house had Trivii closing her eyes.