Welcome to Gaia! ::

"Zen doesn't really talk to me," Des said. "I'm fairly certain he doesn't like me. Clearly he's jealous..."

"He never mentioned anything like that to me either," Angela said. "Though admittedly he seems to have a reluctance to discuss anything with me either." She sighed. She had this sneaking suspicion that she and Zen had shared far too many awkward moments to really discuss normal things in a reasonable way. It was sort of annoying.

"What should we do now?" Angela asked. "We're clearly not going to get any answers just standing here."

"Let's see what's outside!" Des started to pull her toward the doors.

"I wouldn't know," Angela said, arriving next to Asaiyo per Des, dragging her about like a toddler. "I've never actually been to Kansas. Though I'm pretty sure it's not under water so I assume you're right."

She looked around. It was an odd place to be sure. And strangely--no one was even bothering to stare at them. And, looking at Asaiyo and Des, she had to admit they were an odd trio.

**

"Really?" Des asked. "I've always been quite energetic. Particularly in new places." He grinned. "I was just about to say that you seem to have mellowed out. Last time I saw you, you were stomping around glowering as if everyone in the world had taken turns kicking your favorite puppy."

He looked around with great interest. "This is an interesting place. I wonder if there's a place we can go hear their music..."

"Why bother?" Angela asked. "It seems to be the order of things these days. I've given up caring. Bloody powers..."

She tagged along after Asaiyo. "The best thing to do is just cause as much chaos as possible when they do it to you. Eventually they'll stop. Unless they're like my father and happen to enjoy chaos..."

**

Des trotted after them, looking around with wide eyes. So unusual! "The ground over there is moving!" he said, pointing to a moving sidewalk not far away. "Is that normal? What sort of magic is that?"

"Conveyer?" Des asked. "I've no idea what that it but it sounds marvelous. I hope I get to spend a lot of time in this world. So many wonderful things to look at! It's like Mechanus. Only less boring."

He paused. "An energy like mine? Hmm...perhaps it's one of my people...wouldn't be too surprising I suppose."

He was too distracted to really care much.

**

"Ugh...not more Celestials," Angela said. Though now that Asaiyo mentioned it, she could also feel that familiar tingle she got when another Celestial was nearby. And it was exactly the same as the faintly burning feeling she got with Des. Which meant another Fierre probably.

"Perhaps we should go find them," Angela said. "At the very least, a non-native to this world is probably not going to be surprised by questions and if it's one of Des' people I'm sure they'll help." She smirked slightly. "Unless it's someone he's pissed off before," she teased.

"That was odd," Des admitted. "They let us in ahead of all those people."

"Perhaps you're giving off some sort of princely aura, Asaiyo," Angela said teasingly. "You're so bossy that they assume you must be someone important."

**

As she finished, the curtain rose and a young woman walked out onto the stage. Despite the lights and general glitz on the stage, she was dressed in a rather simple (yet lovely) green dress. Her hair was short, fiery red and elegantly messy with long locks that hung in front of pointed ears.

She walked to a little stool and sat, pulling across her lap, a long stringed instrument that looked like a very thin and very long, ornate guitar. She smiled out across her audience, her lips pulling into a slight smirk when she saw Des.

She started to pluck the strings and sing in an unearthly, beautiful voice:

"Lay down,
your sweet and weary head.
Night is falling.
You have come to journey’s end.

Sleep now, and dream
of the ones who came before.
They are calling,
from across a distant shore.

Why do you weep?
What are these tears upon your face?
Soon you will see.
All of your fears will pass away.
Safe in my arms,
you’re only sleeping.

What can you see,
on the horizon?
Why do the white gulls call?
Across the sea,
a pale moon rises.
The ships have come,
to carry you home..."

**

Des stared in shock as the woman started to sing. "Zhori!?"

"She's my little sister!" Des said, grinning. "Can't you see the resemblance? Damn. I haven't seen her in...four...no, five hundred years!"

"Des...all of your people resemble each other. She could be a perfect stranger and still resemble you," Angela said. She picked something random on the menu that didn't look utterly disgusting.

Des ignored her and smiled as he watched Zhori sing. "She's gotten better..."

Des made a face. "That right there is just plain revolting. I pity the man that Zhori decides she's interested in."

"Their entire race sings like that," Angela told Asaiyo after giving the waitress her order and one for Des when it appeared he wasn't going to. "They also all happen to be red heads. Go figure."

"You can sing and you're not a red head," Des told her. "Not as well as Zhori though."

Angela made a face at him. "She does have an amazing voice though," Angela had to admit.

**

The song ended and Zhori bowed slightly before walking off stage, giving Des a final smirk before disappearing behind the curtain.

It was only a few minutes later before she appeared at their table, drawing many admiring stares. She gave Des a bright smile. "Hello there, Brother. Didn't expect to see you here."