Welcome to Gaia! ::

[[COUNTS: Dead Ends - 3 / Encounters - 3 / Challenge - 1 / TJunction - 2]]

Rivener was still grinning like an idiot when they moved on. Melisande had offered her hand to him, and the Scorpion slowly slipped his fingers across her palm before curling them around hers, savoring the contact. Her hand was so soft! Wiping at the corner of his eyes with his other hand, working around the beer bottle still in his grip, Riv nodded, taking a deep breath to calm himself down. "Alright, let's go."

They floated on at a peaceful stroll, Riv's entire demeanor about two notches more relaxed now that he thought there was no REAL danger here, just odd projections and 3d graphics. He stretched his wing once more over the Muse's head for shade, though the mist already killed most of the direct sunlight.

A turn, and they ran into a hedged wall blocking their path. Shrugging, Rivener just turned about and retraced his step to the last side-passage, veering that way. He'd kind of run out of things to say for the moment, but the silence was surprisingly comfortable in his opinion.

[[COUNTS: Dead Ends - 4 / Encounters - 3 / Challenge - 1 / TJunction - 2]]

Rivener very much regretted that hand leaving his- he could have held it through to the end of the maze, ignoring the small sliver of guilt accompanying the action. It wasn't flirting, dammit, it was just being friendly, and curse his heart for thinking otherwise. He loved ZUL. He did, and he would be faithful! But that didn't mean he couldn't enjoy the company he was with.

Melisande's voice broke the silence and her fingers pressed to her cheeks, asking him if she was pink. She had a point about the mist perhaps not really being there... Riv slowed and looked at her, inclining his head this way and that, unable to tell. Finally he just pressed a finger softly to her cheek, watching the skin as he removed it- a sunburn would leave the print for a second then go back to red.

"...No, you're alright, I think. A little bit pink, but that might have been from before the maze. I'll leave you my wing anyway, just in case." He pulled away again to a proper distance, the spine-edged wing stretching high above the lady's head.

"What kind of songs DO you sing at that cafe of yours? Obviously not party songs. Opera Arias? ...Yes, I DO know what those are, despite the leather jackets I wear and all." He smirked at her, pushing her shoulder with his elbow teasingly.

[[COUNTS: Dead Ends - 5 / Encounters - 3 / Challenge - 1 / TJunction - 2]]

Rivener snorted at her jibe. Most of Twinkle Twinkle indeed. He rubbed at his neck, still a little embarrassed that he'd forgotten the words. Up above the world so high? Was that how it went? Like a diamond in the sky... Ugh, of course he'd recall it all NOW.

"You've got song memory? That's pretty neat. Have you ever thought of doing more with it? Like recording? I bet you could be pretty successful. Or maybe acting? Broadway, that type of thing?"

As he spoke, since they'd come to another dead-end, Riv just turned about and headed the other way, unconcerned.

[[COUNTS: Dead Ends - 6 / Encounters - 3 / Challenge - 1 / TJunction - 2]]

Rivener instantly had his ears pricked, picking up on that tone. Who was Alain? Why did his name make Melisande stiffen like that, make her change the subject? She kept a lot of secrets, this girl, though Riv couldn't blame her for not revealing to him after their history. Still, his instinctive urge to protect his kin flared, demanding to know if Alain was someone he should be offering to take care of for Meli...

He shoved those questions aside, laughing at her challenge. "Teach me to sing? Hahah, what for? I don't intend to start a band or anything, and don't get me wrong, I've nothing against spending more time with you- I'd very much like to spend more time with you, I think- but i doubt there'd be a point to me singing. And besides, it'd be embarrassing." He could do it if it was just once, but singing in front of her every week in a class? No, no, no.

Another wall of fluffy hedge blocked the path ahead, so again Rivener turned, choosing a different way.

[[COUNTS: Dead Ends - 7 / Encounters - 3 / Challenge - 1 / TJunction - 2]]

Riv paused to wait for her, eyes riveted to her movements as she pinned her hair back to pristine perfection. He had his arms crossed and listed slightly to one side, as though putting weight on one leg, a position he unconsciously mimicked from humans: utter casual contentment. A faint smile played on his lips. He really enjoyed looking at her.

When she was ready to move on again, the black leathery wing stretched above her like a parasol again and Riv raised an eyebrow. Singing at the bar? Karaoke style? And for someone special... he flushed slightly, thinking of Zul's reaction to Rivener serenading him. The Demon would no doubt NEVER laugh at Riv for anything the Scorpion chose to do, and he would appreciate the effort of the song, but Riv couldn't help but feel he'd make it look cheesy. He wasn't a crooner!

"I dunno about that. I'll think about it, though. I'm just-... I can't see myself singing. That's more your thing." He gave her an honest smile then.

"For enjoyment, I do lots of stuff. Mostly I play video games, surf the internet, watch movies, or go shopping. I think I like the shopping most. It's ridiculous how much clothing I've got, considering I wear THIS most of the time." He gestured at the black-and-red open-front vest he'd had on when he became a Sigel. "At least I'm thankful I CAN change clothes, some Raevan's can't. And well, the belts have to stay. And to be honest it always feels weird when the ribbon from the jacket isn't around my Rune." More so since last Valentine's, when he'd discovered a rather secret purpose for said Rune. A bright swath of red colored his cheeks and he cleared his throat, turning the question back on Meli. "What about you? All I ever hear about from you is the singing. You must do other things to pass time? Grow flowers, maybe?" Riv grinned, one finger flicking gently at a petal from the flower on his lapel.

[[COUNTS: Dead Ends - 7 / Encounters - 3 / Challenge - 2 / TJunction - 2]]

Rivener frowned as she reached up to his cheek, wondering what she was up to. Of course, the confusion cleared his blush and she pulled away with a squeak, just pointing it out, and as you'd expect it only made the Sigel blush again, self-conscious. Her question about its reason earned a soft groan. "My rune is ME in the most basic sense, and it's private, and yes that's what made me blush." That was as far as he was going to go on THAT topic.

Thankfully she moved on, and he listened intently. It was obvious that she did change her clothes often- he always saw her in cute dresses like this one. Her mentioning how she needed to be careful with how she spent her money perked his interest again, wondering if she was having troubles in that area... The sudden invitation to go shopping at a thrift store was met with raised eyebrows, Riv's shock soon giving way to tentative happiness. If she was inviting him, then she liked him to some extent, right? Although she did trail off... Maybe she just asked reflexively, and now tried to back-pedal? "I'd like to, if that's alright with you. I always enjoy finding new shops. Hopefully thrifty also means fashionable." He was more of a brands person, but there could be some hidden gems in a thrift store...

What was the Manor? Riv tilted his head, curious. She got the flowers from a manor? Well, some of the flowers. Some, like the one on Rivener's lapel... When the Scorpion leaned close to see how those flowers stemmed directly from Pasha's hair, he blushed slightly again, eyes wide. W-was it really alright for him to...! Without knowing, one hand lifted to touch the flower at his chest. He smiled sheepishly at her. "Ah, well. A lot of us have things that don't exist on us." He pointed to his wings as proof. "So flowers aren't such an oddity. But, ah... I mean, what does it mean for, uhm... This?" He pointed at her gift to him, his face quirking in a half-curious, half-sheepish smile, one eyebrow raised.

As you turn around the corner, you came into a large section of the maze that is layout a bit differently. In fact, it looks like a small garden of it's own with neatly trimmed trees in interesting shapes, and low hedge blocks about waist height for a human. At first glance, there seem to be no other way to go proceed from there, but as you walk into the small garden and exiting the lane you were previously in, the entrance closed behind you.

Just ahead of you, under an oddly misplaced orange tree stood a ghostly figure of a child, sobbing softly. She looked like she couldn't be more than four years old, and if not for her semi transparent body glowing softly in white, one wouldn't think better. Upon noticing your entry, she looked up with tear stained eyes and whispered. "W-we were playing hide and seek and I... I couldn't find my brother..."

(( Roll numbers 1-10, 1/4/8 are the numbers you want in able to find him ))

Melisande was stunned. Strangely enough, it wasn't the orange tree or the ghost that surprised her. Rivener was so willing to help. The Sigel hadn't thought twice! In that moment, Melisande opened the little box in her memories and carefully put all the times Rivener had been cruel inside. She would have to get to know this Raevan all over again, it seemed.

"We will!" She agreed, and shared a smile with Rivener. He looked a little uncertain...but wasn't the girl just a projection? Perhaps that was his reluctance, to play along knowing it was all a farce. Pasha's smile brightened at his good nature. Playing along sounded like fun!

The Muse floated down a bit lower to the girl, and took a closer look. She looked so genuinely sad that Melisande felt a twinge despite herself. "Is your brother person shaped, like you are?" She waited for the girl's answer before continuing.

"You can come with me, if you'd like, and we can look over here! That way, when we find him, it can be just like finishing the game of Hide and Seek!"

She'd never played this game before. To be honest, despite the girl's tears, it sounded strangely fun. Melisande looked first behind one of the sculpted bushes, moving slowly so as not to startle anyone.