Welcome to Gaia! ::

"Easter!!" Soho shouted as she flitted around the house. All the windows were shuttered in the back half of the house. And she was on strict orders not to peek out back while Ice and the others hid the eggs. "Eastereastereaster!! CANDY!!"

"Sounds like someone already got into the bag." Silva drawled as he lazed on the couch. He didn't like candy that much. And the idea of searching through the grass for those tiny foil covered chocolate eggs struck him as stupid.

And what was worse, he thought as he glanced down at Oblivion and Walter. Was that they'd be dodging the brat and his monster. Metal eggs... who in the hell got ahold of metal eggs?

"We're ready!" Ice called as she opened the back door. Soho flew past her before the "dy" part of the statement was past her lips.

"Why are we doing this again?" Bavaria asked from where she was perched on her bonded's shoulder.

"Because you're just going to have to get used to your cousins, and because I want to see Walter!" Trin answered, for the fifth time since they started the walk here. "And it's Easter."

"Yeah, so?"

"Don't you want to go hunt for chocolate Easter eggs?" Trin asked patiently. She had already had to drag her Feien here from the building of a Feien sized gym. It was something about needed to get better in order to keep up, and out do that 'b*****d Silva'.

"No, not really." Bav answered, giving a small shrug as they came up to the Ice's house.

"I take it they didn't have much of an Easter in the Fleet." Trin muttered. "Now, cover your ears. HEY ICEY!!!" Trin called around back, not even going to bother with the front door. "We're heeerre!"

"WE'RE IN BACK!!" Ice shouted back. She was showing Walter and Oblivion the eggs, then pointing to the yard. "There's more of those! Go find them!"

And then she watching in amusement as Walter climbed onto Oblivion's back, tapping his little heels into her side and wheeled off to find his eggs. Maybe they were edible! Oblivion's were!

Silva muttered something dark, heading out to the back slowly as Aleric passed him with a little smile. Nick and Nack raced out as well. They loved chocolate!

"How could I have ever figured?" Trin muttered, grinning as she headed for the back. "Looks like you made it in time to hunt for the Egg, Varia."

"Oh goody." The Feien muttered and flew off her shoulder, hovering in the air to watch Soho and the others. They seemed to know what they were doing. And Silva didn't look like he was enjoying this.

Trin, on the other hand, went to join her sister. "Soho looks happy about this." She said.

"It's probably one of the most dangerous things I've ever done." Ice said, almost seriously. "But it makes her happy."

"Found one!" Nick shouted.

"Me too! Me too!" Soho said, taking a pause to sit on her small pile of eggs.

Aleric slowly made his way to Ice and TB, glancing at Bav. "Would you care to join us?" He asked. "I'm afraid I'm not very good at this sort of thing."

And Silva dropped down on the chair, closed his eyes and made ready for a nap.

Bav stayed in the air amoment longer before coming down closer to Aleric. "So, the object of this is to find the shiny eggs, huh?" She asked, looking around. It couldn't be that hard. The foil glinded in the light, after all.

"The sugar highs will rule your house, and you know it." Trin snickered.

"They already do." Ice said with a shrug. "You should have seen Nick and Nack last Halloween. They have a habit of stealing little kid's candy bags. But I SWEAR Silva helps them!"

"It is. There's chocolate under the wrapper and whatever you find you get to eat." Aleric explained with a slight smile. "Or trade, as Nick and Nack seem so fond of. They come in different types, milk, crunchy, and butterfinger."

"Found another!!" Soho shouted.

"Queen of the chocolate hill.." Bav drawled looking at Soho, then shook her head and looked up at Aleric. "And you say you're bad at this? Or does everyone just beat you to them?"


"Well, I'm going to have to deal with that, if Varia decides she likes chocolate. She hasn't tried it yet, that I know of, and I still need to find out what she likes and doesn't like." TB said, then remembered the basket she had. There were bits of metal on one side, candy coated mault eggs on the other, and five smaller baskets with smaller candies in them. She held it up. "Oh, and I brought this, too."

"You're out to torture me, aren't you?" Ice drawled. She pointed to the little boy riding happily on his beleagured looking Daemon's back. "That's Walter and Oblivion over there. I'd introduce you, but, well... they're kind of busy right now."

She almost winced as Oblivion swallowed a metal egg whole. "Chew your food, Oblivion!!" She shouted, knowing the Daemon wouldn't listen.

"I'm afraid I'm not quite as... enthusiastic about chocolate." Aleric replied, still smiling. "But it's very good."

Silva rolled over and snored.

"Well, let's find some anyway." Bav said and took to the air to get a better view. She wanted to see what Soho was so hyped about and if it was good for bartering, then all the better.

Ok, Aleric wasn't as scarring as he first came off. The whole polite thing really threw her off, however.

"That's what sisters are for, Icey. Gotta have someone in like to torture. " Trin said, grinnging as she ducked inside the house to put the baskets away. Out of Oblivion's reach, she hoped.

"I had to put wooden slats in front of the metal chainlink fence." Ice said casually. "She's already ate at least three of my hammers, an allen wrench set, and a couple of socket wrenches." She went on. A tiny little smirk pulled at her lips.

"But there's something I need to talk to you about." She added, turning serious as she looked over at her sister. "And it's not... very good news."

Aleric nodded and headed towards the grass, motioning the juvenile to follow. She didn't trust him. That was... difficult to fix. But he would give her time.

"Found another!" Nack called.

"Yeah? Well I found TWO!" Nick shouted back.

Bav followed him before a glint caught her eye and she shot though the air for it. One foil wrapped egg, nestled in grass. "Ha! Got one!" She declaired happily, giving a crooked grin to purple male.

Then she joined him, holding up the egg proudly. It was her first, after all. And she was starting to feel left out with all their shouting!

Trin blinked at her sister. "What's wrong?" She asked as the happy smile dropped off her face. She just hoped she didn't have to babysit Walter and Oblivion any time soon. Her shop would be a feast for the Oblivion.

"Did I ever tell you about my boyfri--er... Ex boyfriend?" Ice asked, easing her way into the subject, even though she didn't want to bring it up at all. "His name is Shade. He's... he's like me, you know? With the tail and the face markings. An Ancient." She paused again, looking out over the grass, as if she didn't want to go on.

"Bavaria!!" Soho shouted. "Good job! You found one!" She had two in her arms at the time.

Aleric smiled. "Very good job!"

Bav rolled her eyes at the praise, but her grin didn't drop. "Now, to find more." She said, keeping the egg in her arms. They needed more if Aleric was going to get anything, and she wasn't about to share her's.

If she was paying more attention to these thoughts, she would have jerked. Sharing and wanting to help the 'new' family? Already? Trin was really starting to get to her.

"Yeah.. you told me of him once. Like, when you started cursing him out in different languages after you broke up with him." Trin said and leaned against the door frame. There were things about Shade that she didn't know. Like why they broke up and.. well, everything other than he was like her sister.

"He's... He's a pervert, and a drunk, and goofy, and--" She stopped, sighing and pushing at her hair. "He's also really, really dangerous. TB... he's an assassain." She finally admitted, not daring to look at her sister. "He works for a really old, and dangerous woman named Kori. And he kills the people that try to mess with her business empire. Or if someone pays enough... People that try to mess with theirs."

"My pile is larger." Nick boasted, sitting on his rather large *for him* pile.

"Like hell!" Nack shouted from his own pile.

"It is!"

"Count!"

Soho squeed as she caught sight of a whole stockpile of eggs all together... then spent the next ten minutes trying to figure out how she could carry them all at once. They kept falling when she went over three.

Bav had six of them, three in each pile since Aleric was helping. She was used to even traied among the Pack when things went well and that was traslating over to this.

Did it matter that the others had more than she? Hell yes. But the knew what the hell they were doing. She didn't.

"You dated.. an assasian?" Trin asked slowly, looking at her sister. "Well, that explains alot! That's why you never much talked about him after your great vent after the break up." She said, trying to remember what they had done to 'celebrate' then deciding it was best not too know.

"I didn't know he WAS at the time!" Ice hissed. She crossed her arms over her chest, looking vaguely uncomfortable. "And when I found out by accident--" Accident being she had found another woman's name and address on a scrawled note in his room, only to find out he wasn't cheating... just killing...

It really didn't pay to be a snoop. "But there's more." She said reluctantly. "See... he has a job on Gaia."

Reluctantly Soho took them two at a time, knowing it was the only logical method, but at the same time it was inviting others to steal her legitimate booty! It was so wrong!

Aleric picked up another egg, heading for the piles that Bav was building and putting it down next to one. Why she had two piles, he wasn't certain. Perhaps she wanted to share with her brothers and sisters!

Bavaria zipped back to the piles, having narrowly advoiced a large bumble bee that was around a potted flower that she had scavanged her egg from. She didn't like bees.

That egg Aleric had dropped, she stuck into one pile, when she stuck the one she held in another, not about to explain what she was doing. Then she fluttered off to find more. Though the others seemed about done as it was.

Trin had this sinking feeling as she listened to Ice tell her all the lovely details she had missed. "Don't tell me he's after you, now? To kill you?" She asked in an emotionless tone. If that was so, they were going to do something. Anything...

"No..." She said. "If anything, I think he still... loves me." She couldn't look at her sister. It was hard enough as it was. "He's... he's after you, TB. You've made some big companies really angry with your cheaper prices and better quality."

"I'm so... tired!" Soho exclaimed as she finished up her WAY too big pile and draped herself on top of it. "All mine!"

Nick and Nack were rolling on the ground, fighting to the death over whose pile was bigger, since Nick disliked counting.

Only Aleric picked up on the mood, slowly moving closer to the humanoids.

"There has to be more..." Bav muttered, still searching for more of the foiled eggs while the others were happily sitting on their piles.

Trin paled sligthly, staring at her sisted. Ok, April Fool's had already passed, so that couldn't possibly be it. She blinked again. "So... because I'm better... they want me dead...?" She asked finally. "Why not just offer me a job?!"

"I don't know." Ice said, taking a ragged breath. "I don't know why they don't just hire you, I don't know how I can stop him, either. I sent him to another planet, but he's got the same abilities as I do... but more. He'll be back as soon as... actually, I'm not sure why he's not here already. He probably got distracted, the dumbass..."

Aleric stayed silent from where he was eavesdropping, his heart pounding heavily against his chest. That's why she had stopped Silva...

Soho sighed and started unwrapping one egg, licking the chocolate as it was uncovered. This was heaven...

"Give!"

"Never!"

"GIVE!"

"MY PILE IS BIGGER!!"

Varia choked on a laugh at the two fighting as she headed for the piles. Well, no more so it was time to find out what the big fuss was about. She picked up one of the eggs and started to unwarp it.

This was way Trin didn't like dealing with alot of people. They thought and did stupid things like this. She had already out lived many competing companies even before this. She sighed, moving to her sister and giving her a supportive hug. Both for herself and Ice. "I think I'm in shock." She muttered. "The whole idea that someone is out to kill me hasn't sunk in."

"But what would Shade do if he found out we were sisters?" TB asked. "I mean, if he still loves you, then--"

"What do you want me to do, TB?" Ice asked. "Take him back? He's a killer. I can't love a killer. I don't want to love a killer! I don't..." She sighed, looking down. "I don't know, ok? I just don't know. Maybe it would stop him. But maybe it won't. He's very serious about his job. The only thing he IS serious about."

Aleric felt numb. There was nothing he, as a fairy and a short lived creature, could do about something like Shade. At least... not that he could think of at the moment. But he would.

He had to.

"Take him back? No way!" Trin said, more startled and about to laugh dispite the situation. "He's a perv, and a jerk, and other stuff. And he wants to kill me!" She said the last part soflty, knowing the little ones were around.

"What I meant was, if he still loves you, maybe, this once, he wont?" She said, trying to sound hopeful. If he was that serious in his job, he would have already approched her.

That was... If he could find her.

"Maybe. But it would also give him hope if I begged." Ice said. "And trust me, begging is the only way I could get that hardheaded jerk to listen!"

Soho looked down at her chocolate covered, empty hands. And licked.

Trin rolled her eyes at this and folded her arms over her stomach. Well, Ice had been a little cheared up now with that idea. But... someone like Ice was out to kill her? That was the last thing she wanted. Seriously it was. Ice got scarry enough at times. Her fluffy tail gave a little shiver as it all started to sink in.

Great.

Bav was oblivious to all of this as she munched away on her egg, finishing it off. It was just a little too much chocolate for her liking... but it was good! Now, where was that purple one? He was missing out.

Aleric took a deep breath, then stilled himself. He would fix things. One way or another. With that thought he headed back towards Bavaria, pasting a half smile on his face.

And Silva grunted in his sleep.

"Your chocolate egg things are there." Bav said and pointed at the other, untouched pile next to the one she was sitting by. There was another egg in her hand as she debated eating it, too. "I couldn't find any more of them."

"Oh, um... thank you." He said softly, sitting down next to the pile and reaching for one.

Bav gave him an odd look. Something was bothering him. His voice had lost it's happy-politness, but she wasn't one to ask. After all, she had done her nice 'family' thing and split the eggs with him.

On that note, she reached for another egg to eat. Maybe it would be one of those butterfinger ones.

Ice took a deep breath and held it for a moment before letting it out. Walter was on her hip, Oblivion at her side. She didn't trust the two together any closer than that, since they would run the moment they could.

"Okay... I've put this off long enough." She whispered to the blonde baby boy before she reached up and knocked on Wren and Halo's door. "Let's find out just where you came from."

Halo was doing her wifely duty and cleaning. And by cleaning that means, of course, that she was instructing the horde of medusa's on the final measures of dusting all the bookshelves and vacuuming the carpets. As soon as the knock came (a surprise, not many people bothered them) she shooed them all away. What would the neighbors think!?

While his mother was occupied, Otium had walked to the door with Immaculate and got on his tip toes to turn the knob. The little boy stared up at the lady there, a stranger, and while he knew how to answer the door he really hadn't mastered the greeting part yet. Talking wasn't his thing.

Immaculate recognized the robotic companion though and wagged her tail. Their meeting had been breif, in the trash cans by the Mansion, but she remembered.

The bear-cat yipped and circled Otium's legs.

The little boy just stared with wide barely-blue eyes.

Ice blinked, then grinned, relaxing somewhat. Although the fact that talking to a little boy was a way of putting off her conversation with Wren about Walter did flash through her mind and make her feel guilty. "Hi." She said. "Is your daddy or mommy home?"

Walter let out a happy little sound at the sight of Immaculate, waving his hands slightly as he babbled a happy, if incomprehensive, greeting. Oblivion's eyes narrowed slightly as she recognized the bear cat that Walter had been so happy to meet. Jealousy was an ugly thing, but Oblivion had never cared about that.

Otium blinked and adjusted his hat. He was wearing it, of course, along with an impeccably arranged suit all in shades of black and grey. He had the tie, waistcoat, gloves peeking from his pocket, the whole nine. Immaculate was oblivious to the robot's mood. She could sense animal's moods.. it was an animal thing.. but not a robot. She ventured forward to sniff the strange living metal thing.

Halo made her way to the front after hoarding the snake men (and woman) back into their quarters. She found Otium at the open door and laughed. "You need to say hello, Otium. It's polite. Hi.. can I help you? I'm Halo."

She was a tall woman with a choppy cut black hairstyle that fell around her shoulders. She had earrings up and down her ears and wore a lot of black. It seemed something she was comfortable in, not a statement. She's a tall drink of water, mostly legs, with a tank top revealing one arm to be mostly tattooed. Not your usual 'mom' image.

"Immaculate.. don't bother the nice.... ..... .. robot?" These people in this neighborhood, half the time she had no idea how to classify anyone.

Ice grinned, shrugging. She had white skin, and a long lizard like tail. Her T-shirt, stretched slightly by Walter's hold on her, said "I don't get even, I just get more odd." Her short white hair had been pulled back on top, to keep it from falling in her eyes. "We're not sure what she is, either." She said with a shrug. "Her name's Oblivion. This is Walter, and I'm Ice. Is there a... Wren here?"

Walter kicked his bare feet, not noticing that his brand new black jeans had yet ANOTHER hole in the knee, or that his white dress shirt was unbuttoned to his chest. But his suspenders were still good! Surprisingly, considering his habit of running off into new adventures.

Halo looked at the cute and messy little boy and thought him a complete contrast from Otium. Not only was Otium very neat, but he wasn't as... animated as Walter seemed to be. "Hey, Walter and Oblivion.." She would have patted the robot, and looked as if she were about to, but noticed the rusty thing's sour 'mood'. "Nice to meet you, Ice. Wren's not home right now. I'm his wife. Though judging by your boy.. You've been to the Library?"

Anytime she saw a child with a 'creature companion' she jumped to conclusions. She wasn't always right but most times she had been. "Would you like to come in?"

Otium took the cue and turned, adjusting his top hat again, and walked into the house. With only a nod Immaculte trotted to his side as if she were a well trained pet. She always did what the boy told her and never minded.

"Sure." Ice said as she followed them in. "That's the thing, actually. I didn't go to the... um... Library. Patrick did. See, he said he found Walter in a book and that I should ask Wren exactly what that means." She hesitated. "Patrick's just a kid, really. He wasn't properly able to take care of these two, so I offered to raise them..." And why did she feel guilty about that?

Oblivion creaked once as she rolled after her forgotten, her eyes flashing red as she looked around. Walter was having a good old time, she thought as she heard him babble some observation to anyone willing to listen. But she just hoped they weren't going to be passed over to someone ELSE. AGAIN.

She was, reluctantly, fond of how they lived now.

Wren and Halo's home looked like a quaint cottage with a nice sized yard from the outside but each doorway they passed seemed to give way to a room that by all logical means, should not fit in the home. There was magic afoot. Anyone sensitive to magical fields could tell as soon as they'd come up the path. Due to their unique families and genetic makeups, Wren and Halo were very careful about wards and the like.

While walking two very handsome and well dressed men in their 40's passed them in the hall. They both flashed a wave to Halo and flashed dashing grins to Ice and the boys. Otium smiled a TINY bit and waved as well. As soon as they passed they went back to talking to one another, a long and fast rattle of Italian.

"Don't mind them. They live in a wing of the house. The most troublesome couple of queens you'll ever meet. Now.. the book and the library. Well that's a story." She nodded her head to a doorway and walked into a nice sized family room. The recently cleaned up children's toys were in a bin in the corner. "If Walter wants to play, I'm sure Otium can share some of he and his brothers' toys. And before I start, let me get the hostess thing out of the way, something to drink or eat? Feel free to sit." She motioned to some beat up but comfortable leather recliners.

Immaculate immediately went to the bin and whacked it with a large paw, overspilling the whole bin. She knew it would make Halo twitch, since the whole thing was just cleaned. Out spilled as many toys as you could want, balls, action figures, stuffed animals, blocks, everything.

Ice didn't even ask about the "Queens." She just smiled as she sat down. "No, I'm fine, really. And I probably shouldn't let Walter down until the door's closed. He and Oblivion have this game they play... Opening doors, or gates, or almost eating lamp poles..." She paused. "Speaking of which, you might want to hide anything metal that you're fond of." She flushed slightly at that comment, but had to stick firm to it. "Oblivion likes to eat it."

Walter squirmed, wanting to be closer to his daemon. He didn't so much as glance at the toys. He wasn't big on new things like that. But Ice just smiled and kept him close.

Oblivion, on the other hand, looked around for anything shiny, and therefore, edible.

"Well Otium and Mael seemed to have collected and hoarded anything really nice and in reach." Halo frowned. "We have the fireplace pokers but she can eat them if it'll make her happy."

Otium found a child sized chair for himself and pulled it over by the toy bin. He sat down (wouldn't want to get his pants dirty!) and picked up a ball. He tossed it a bit away and Immaculate yapped and ran after it. She was pretty fast with her lumbering run.

Halo returned to the chairs once she closed the door (and latched it). "I know how adventurous kids can be. Mael is pretty bad and he always ropes Otium into it. And Lafe and Alex.. OI!" The woman shook her head. "Just be glad those two are asleep." Yes it was the middle of the afternoon, but those boys slept all day and were up all night.

"So yeah.. The Library. We each have a story. Each is different. Wren's and my incidents were a few months apart but each of us were lured to the House." She paused. "The House is a whole different batch of trouble. But yeah. We all were lured there we found a weird path, like the House was guiding us and playing with us. It does that. And then we end up in this library in the basement. It's HUGE. Have you been there yet?"

"I haven't, I'm afraid." Ice said with a shake of her head as she let Walter down. "I do have this..." She said as she pulled out the piece of paper Patrick had given her. "So do they all have a little excerpt like this?" She asked curiously.

Walter climbed onto his daemon's back and thumped his heels against her side, urging her towards the bearcat and the other boy. He babbled a greeting to Otium, waving happily before they pulled to a stop nearby. Oblivion glanced towards the metal pieces next to the fireplace, longingly. But Walter was visiting. So she would wait.

A while, at least.

"Yep. Every single one." Halo got up and opened a box on a higher shelf and pulled out two. She showed them to Ice. One was Mael's:

"Nothing more than a shadow on the surface was what he saw as he plunged backwards through the quickly darkening water. His arms reach out for something to catch hold of, and yet there is nothing. Something as red as blood swims through the water; for all he knew, it could be, since he remembers nothing more than admiring her golden hair before the attack was sprung. All air leaves his lungs, and he could feel his lungs on fire from the suffocation. His last thoughts before the eternal unconsciousness were on her, and how deeply he regretted actually trusting her beyond that moment. As darkness takes him, he vowed the revenge."

And the other was Otium's:

And here, in the sanctum sanctorum, there are three men who count the money, and there are the guards who watch and who bring money and take it away; and there is another person. His charcoal gray suit is immaculate, his hair is dark, he is cleanshaven, and his demeanour are, in every sense, forgettable. None of the other men has even observed that he is there, or if they have noticed him, they have forgotten him on the instant."

"I was sneaking around in the Library.. once I got there." She placed the excerpts back in the box when Ice was finished. "I felt like.. I was led there but, hello, I was in a strange library. I didn't wanna get caught. So I was sneaking around and heard weird music. It was.. like an old movie. So I found this book that it sounded like it was coming from. It was all black and white and old. So I opened it and there was weird writing. Kinda like Greek but kinda not. Wren said his was different. So I read a little bit, cause it was weird that I could understand it, and then this crazy lime guy appeared and surprised the hell out of me. Have you met him?"

"Lime guy?" Ice repeated. "The only one Patrick told me about was Wren. And I had to look him up at my work. I work for the Feien shop, and he owns a feien." She looked thoughtful for a moment. "Can you give me the address to this Library? I'd like to take Walter there sometime."

Walter could feel Oblivion's mood, so he turned her and let her head for the metal objects, laughing as the scraping, squealing sound of metal against metal filled the air.

"And you're sure there's nothing wrong with that?" She asked, motioning towards the daemon's snacking.

"Oh I have two feien as well." Halo grinned. "Quite a handful. Oh yeah I can give you the mansion address.. But the Library is only found if the House WANTS you to find it." Halo walked over to desk against a wall and scribbled down the house address. "The Owner is Pippin. He's the lime guy. Real odd fellow but Wren and I have come to be friends with he and his wife... when she's around."

Otium watched the rusty daemon and her giggling boy. Immaculate was feeling curious and the ball was not holding her interest so she started to follow, sniffing. Otium got up and followed too.

"So after Pippin found me," she handed the address to Ice and sat back down, "he took me into his office and explained that the Library and House were odd and that the books weren't normal. He said that I wasn't supposed to have read that book but there was nothing to do about it now. He said I would have a child to take care of, and an animal, and I really didn't get much of a choice. I thought he was blowing my horn of course so I left the office and sure 'nuff.. there's Otium and Immaculate where I dropped the book." She shrugged a bit and played with one of her earrings. "Since then there's been weird things with the house.. but we're kind of in the dark as to what this is all about. I love my boys but I always feel like the sword of Damocles is hanging over our heads."

Ice nodded. "I was worried..." She started out hesitantly. "That people from where he had come from would want him back. I kind of thought Patrick had stolen him, actually. But if they're all like that... then I guess I'm doing the right thing." She said. "But you're right. There has to be something that we don't know about. Like why books only from that library?"

Walter looked over at the other forgotten and his daemon, babbling happily about how Oblivion really liked her metal things. Of course he didn't make a lick of sense, but he didn't realize that. He moved to offer the next piece of metal to them, but Oblivion chomped down before he could get to it.

"No I think Patrick probably just stumbled into the Library like everyone else. Maybe, you know, with less than honorable intentions... but got Walter the same way. I don't know what the deal is with the House or the Library. I think Pippin doesn't know squat either. He's not the brightest bulb in the box."

Halo watched the boys just to make sure they were fine. Otium was watching Oblivion curiously. "Metal isn't food." He said it softly so only Walter and Oblivion would hear. "I can't eat it." He shrugged. Immaculate tried to bite the end of a poker but found it wasn't to her tastes either. She did get close enough that Walter could touch her if he wanted.

"All the kids seem to have unique abilities too. Otium can talk with spirits, I learned. And Mael.. well Mael is a venemous snake child. Walter show anything unusual.. other than the metal thing?"

This time the hesitation was obvious. And Ice lowered her voice slightly, not wanting Walter to hear, as silly as it might sound. "Ever since I've gotten him I've been having these strange nightmares." She said slowly. "But he's such a chipper little guy that I wouldn't... I mean... I don't think it has anything to do with him..." But the frown on her face said otherwise.

Walter tilted his head, then shrugged and babbled something else. Maybe it wasn't food for them or him, but Oblivion sure liked it! But to make up for Oblivion's rudeness he tugged a crumbly cookie out of his shirt, holding it out to the other boy. He had been saving this one. It only had a bit of a nibble bite on it!

"Thank you.." Otium took it. He didn't really want it but he was being polite. He brushed it off a bit and split it in in half and gave the nibbled half to Immaculate who gobbled it without so much as chewing. Otium slipped it inside of his pocket and took off his hat. He reached inside (though it was empty) and pulled out a flat shiny gold coin. "For you. It's special." He offered it but held back a moment. "Not for food. Okay?"

Halo frowned. "It.. could be him. I hope they aren't too bad. He'll grow fast. If it is him I think the only thing you can do is tough through it. Until he's old enough to control himself."

Ice nodded. "Yeah... I mean if it IS him, I don't think he's conscious of it yet. And hey, you're not supposed to have a lot of sleep with a new baby, right?" She paused. "Can Otium control which spirits talk to him? Or does he have to deal with any that come near him?"

Walter blinked, then grinned his perfect grin, taking the coin before Oblivion could grab it and sliding it into his shirt where the cookie had been. And Oblivion sighed in acceptance as her forgotten babbled a thank you.

Otium smiled a little bit and patted Walter on the hat. He liked people in hats. They had style.

"He doesn't talk much and not about that. I know he has mentioned specific ones but I have a feeling he sees whichever are around. SO if there are 30 he sees all 30. If there are 2, he'll see only two. I don't think it's really selective. I have no idea. One of the men who passed us.. he's gifted. He told me. I was surprised to say the least."

Immaculate thought maybe Oblivion was in a good enough mood to let her sniff, so she did. She sniffed Walter all over and whatever of the robot daemon that was in reach. Best intentions! Really!

Oblivion's eyes flickered red again, but Walter let out a giggle at the sniffing and patting, then petted the bearcat on the head. A little roughly, but not enough to hurt. He had been learning delicacy from chasing after the fairies that lived in his house. If he didn't he wound up hitting himself in the head when they landed there and flew away before he could grab them.

Immaculate licked his cheek breifly, rough like a giant cat tongue. Otium patted Oblivion on the head and sat on the floor next to her. He reached into his hat and pulled out a tarnished chain he'd found on the ground. It looked like one of those necklaces the rappers wore, with a giant Jesus head pendant. Otium didn't really want it but thought it shouldn't be on the ground. He offered it to Oblivion to eat out of his hand. Like the petting zoo!

"Otium also is monochrome, as you can see. As he's grown his eyes have gotten brighter blue, just a little, and when he's angry they get sort of.. firey. And he gets forgotten by anyone who isn't family or friends. It's really weird. I think he does it on purpose."

Ice nodded. "He's gorgeous." She said honestly. She had white skin and hair, and didn't think a thing about not having color. "But it would be handy, being forgotten by choice, I would think. Does it do it to everyone outside of the family, or just certain people?"

Oblivion's tongue was cold and steely as it took the coin from him. She chewed it twice, with that same metal against metal squeaking sound, then swallowed, her eyes going blue once again.

And Walter laughed in delight.

"Thanks.." Halo smiled. Otium was a gorgeous child. The only color you could see other than his eyes was the gold bracelet that hinted under his sleeve. It was a precious gift he'd gotten as a baby. "I think it's everyone. They will see him if I make him known, but then promptly forget him. It's irritating. I don't think he can control it yet. He's still young."

Otium smiled and patted her on the head again. He was cold skinned so the tounge didn't bother him. He went searching in his hat for more useless metal for her. He found a wrench he'd found in the garage as a baby. It was new so it was very shiny. It had no value though.

"Immaculate can't do anything like that. But she is cuddly right?" Immaculate was busy sniffing Oblivion's.... wheel... which looked really wrong from certain angles.

"Then you'll have to remind me next time I see him." Ice said easily. "Walter and Oblivion look quite fond of them both. And Immaculate's so cute and cuddly." Ice said. "I have to admit, I love Oblivion, even if she is grumpy at times. But when I first got her I was worried her... scales would cut Walter when they slept together." Obviously that wasn't the case.

Oblivion was torn between glowering at the bearcat and getting more treats from Otium. But her stomach spoke louder, so she took the wrench happily, only batting the bearcat in the head lightly with her tail.

Walter twisted to pet the bearcat on the head again, as if apologizing for his Daemon.

Immaculate was unphased by whatever the robot daemon seemed to dish out. Otium patted Oblivion on the head when she took the wrench but unfortunately he didn't seem to have anything else available for her to eat. "Sorry." He said it softly.

"Otium, surprisingly, gets along with a lot of the children. I say I'm surprised because he was always a little shy and while he's gotten more bold as he's grown, he's still very quiet and weird about his personal space. I'm glad there are more children for him to know." Halo watched the boy's still and was very curious about the mechanical daemon. "I've never seen one like her. All the daemon's I have seen were.. animal. Or at least some sort of organic. They get more odd as time goes on. It's sort of scary to think what that Library is capable of dishing out."

"Really?" Ice asked, slightly surprised. "I guess we'll have to meet more... um... daemons, did you call it?" She made another mental note. "I have to admit, we sort of picked her name out of the excerpt Patrick gave her. Patrick either didn't know or didn't care. But she answers to it. She also answers to the can opener." She added a bit dryly.

"I'll admit, I'm used to working with machines and other metal things, so I guess I wasn't as shocked as I could have been."

Oblivion sighed, but other than that didn't look too bothered. She did, however, turn to look at the bearcat with red eyes. Walter seemed far too familiar with the other forgotten for her taste!

Of course the fact that she was being rather familiar with Otium didn't even occur to her.

"You should meet more of the guardians. All of them, though to be honest I don't think I've met all of them. We have get together's every once in a while but your best bet is going to the house. Wren and I are good friends with a few of them and our kids have become friends. As much of friends as toddlers can be." She laughed a bit.

Otium became distracted suddenly and turned his head to stare at something behind him but it seemed as if something was there. He tilted his head, very interested and mouthed words but not aloud.

Halo pause, "I'm sorry.. just a sec." The woman whistled a bit, "Otium.. hey.. HEY.. Not when we have guests please?"

The little boy took a minute before he acknowledged her and then nodded and turned back to the other kids.

Walter's eyes got wide and he looked at the area behind Otium blankly. Was there something important there? He couldn't see anything...

He babbled in a questioning tone, reaching out and waving his hand awkwardly through the air. And his eyes narrowed, as if by doing that he might be able to see what his new friend could.

Oblivion shook her head imperceptibly, as if silently telling her forgotten not to worry about it. She couldn't see anything, either.

"Now that I've got the address I'll be sure to do that." Ice agreed. She paused. "You know, if he really needs to talk to... um... whatever it is, we can come back later? I have some calls to make now, too." She said with a grin. "And my girls are probably worrying themselves sick over this. They love them both very much."

She glanced over at Walter and Oblivion, a flash of worry crossing her face before she shrugged it off.

"If his conversations are ever emergencies, he lets me know.. but I understand if you have things to do." Halo smiled in a friendly manner but she always felt kind of awkward without the comforting presence of her husband with strangers. Only once in a while.

"You guys are free to come by whenever you'd like. Or perhaps I'll see you in the librarr, when you find it. You will by the way. At least you've been warned. None of the rest of us got that." The tall woman rose from her chair and looked over at the boys.

Otium smiled at Walter and patted him on the hat to show it was nothing he should worry about. He also patted Oblivion and smiled. "I will find you foods. For when we meet again?"

Immaculate licked Walter's cheek and then circled once before wandering in the direction whatever Otium had been 'speaking' to.

Oblivion nodded and Walter said something cheerful sounding, grinning happily. He had a new friend!

"Thank you." Ice said as she stood. "I appreciate everything. Really." She said as she scooped Walter up. "And we will see you again. Walter will miss his new friends, right?"

Walter went serious, his eyes widening slightly as he looked from Otium and Immaculate to Halo. And he said something very knowledgeable sounding. Which was lost in translation, but sounded something like, "Mehheemaa baayaa." And was accented with a nod.

"He says we'll be back." Ice translated loosely with a smile. "Um... I just go down that hall, right?" She asked.

Otium waved once more before turning to follow his daemon to the shade he'd seen.

Halo rose, "Yeah just down the hall. I'll show you out." She motioned with her arm and headed down the hall. "It was really nice to meet you. When Wren gets in I'll tell him and I'm sure in no time you'll meet him. He's good about those things. Walter should like Mael too. Both trouble makers."

She opened the front door for the pair and ruffled Walter's hat a bit. "It was nice to meet you Walter! You're sure a cutie. Thanks for both coming by."

Walter waved his hands and gave her a suddenly shy grin, leaning his head against Ice's shoulder and bringing his hand up to his face as he looked at her through his eyelashes. Ice glanced down at him, then shook her head. Silva was probably right. He WAS going to be a flirt.

"Thanks for the information!" She said as she started away. Oblivion rolled along side her, squeaking once in a while. Ice glanced over her shoulder with a wave. "And we'll have to do that! Bye!"

Coffee and Wet-Wipes -Ice, Walter, Oblivion and Kitsu run into Leon, Cressida, and their two Feedees. Much fun is had heart