Welcome to Gaia! ::

The stationary shop was a warm haven for Chailyn as she pulled in her mother. She was actually hoping she could get some stationary to stick in her tome. She wanted to make her tome pretty but she wasn't sure what she wanted. So naturally, she'd asked her mother.

Anemone had suggested heading to the stationary shop, mainly because she didn't want to shuffle through on the rather cold day. She was a bit tired having not slept well that night. Still, she didn't want to sleep in today so she'd gotten up and after breakfast set off with the tale.

"Let's look for some out here first," Ane suggested. Taking the sample book off the counter, she handed to Chai. The tale nodded plopping down on the floor and began to flip through the pages.

Elena sulked alongside Jerava as they walked through the streets of Gaia. The elf has refused to allow Rasalus to accompany them on their trip to the Sationary Store - the first such trip since Elena had arrived.

"Look, we're here," Jer said, interrupting Elena's dark thoughts. The girl momentarily brightened at the sight of the store, perhaps there would be things to look at within. Jer pushed open the door before Elena could slide back into sulkiness, calling out a hello in case there was someone besides the storeowners within.

"Hello? Elena inquried as well, peeking her head around Jer's legs. The Tale was bundled up against the cold, and couldn't wait to take off her restrictive jacket.

Anemone looked up watching the door open. She was kneeling beside Chailyn trying to coax the tale out of her coat. The tale was too absorbed in the book looking for the perfect stationary to pay attention to her mother though. It wasn't until Elena spoke that she looked up.

"Hi," Chailyn replied giving a smile to the girl. She lifted a hand waving, giving Ane the perfect chance to slip the tale's coat off. With a smile, Anemone stood up folding the coat in her arms.

"Hello, this is Chailyn. I'm her mother, Anemone," she introduced giving a warm smile as a shiver ran down her back. She didn't know why she felt so frozen today. She couldn't help shaking lightly though she was still wrapped tightly in her jacket.

Taking a deep breath, she shuffled over towards the fireplace. She could watch Chailyn easily from there and hopefully she could warm up. She looked at Jerava giving a smile.

Elena saw the other girl and happily squirmed out of her deep blue jacket, leaving Jerava to pick it up off the floor. With a small sigh, the elf did so. "Hello Anemone, Chailyn," Jer said politely. "I'm Jerava, and the blue haired child there is my daughter, Elena."

"Hallo!" Elena said again, sitting down next to Chailyn. "What're you looking at?" she asked, peering at the book. "Looks pretty."

Jer smiled at Elena's behavior. She'd really started acting nicer since meeting Lance and Mehiyal, which was what had prompted this visit in the first place. Elena wanted to meet other Tales, and the place where they'd all come from had seemed a good starting place to Jer. The woman draped Elena's coat over her arm, leaving her own jacket, a thinner white one, on.

Chailyn smiled happily at Elena as she rushed over. It only made her smile more when the tale sat down beside her. "I'm looking for pretty paper for my tome! I want to make it pretty!" she responded almost jumping out of her skin with excitement. She was almost tempted to forget her search her attention straying towards the girl.

She flipped a page of the samples book wrinkling her nose up in disgust. She thought the antique looking stationary was hideous. "Ugly paper," she murmured closing her eyes and sticking her tongue out lightly. She looked like she'd either smelled something awful or choked down some cough medicine.

Anemone waved at Jerava, giving a smile. "Hi Jerava and Elena. It's nice to meet you. I'd move, but for some reason I'm freezing today. It's not that cold out but even with my coat on, I'm shivering," she explained as a chill ran down her spine.

She brushed her brown hair behind her ears pulling it together and wrapping a rubberband around it loosely. As she moved her arms, she felt a weight in her coat. Using her hands to feel around, she went to an inside pocket unzipping it to find an ice pack. "No wonder I'm freezing," she mumbled pulling it out of the pocket.

Chailyn let out a soft giggle looking at her mother. "Dully put it there. She was stumbling in the dark trying to find Cilly's coat." The tale gave an innocent grin before hearing a laugh from her mother.

"I like that one," Elena said, pointing at a dark blue sheet covered in silver stars. "It's blue and sparkly." Elena looked at the other girl. "What's your favorite color?" she asked, thinking that maybe Chailyn could decorate her tome in it.

"Please, call me Jer," the woman said in reply as she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, revealing the tapered point. She chuckled when the ice pack was revealed. "That would make anyone freeze, I think."

"I like deep red, purple, blue, and...," she paused thinking. She liked so many colors but she couldn't determine her favorite. She looked at Elena for a moment. "Silver is pretty and gold is ok. I like soft colors like when the sun comes up...deep colors are pretty, but soft colors look like clouds."

She hoped her thoughts made sense to the other color trying to figure out a way to explain it. She didn't want to use harsh colors that would make people flare up with anger, or sad colors that would make people start to cry. She wanted a soft but vibrant color to bring out the record of her life.

"It's nice to meet you, Jer. I think you're right about the ice pack," she replied giving a smile. She slipped her coat off as the fire began to warm her, letting the cold shivers melt away. "Are you having a nice day?" she asked, not really sure what to say but trying to start a conversation.

Elena pondered what Chailyn had said, cocking her head to the side in an imitation of Jerava. "Use colors that match you?" she suggested finally. "They look soft, kind of like a sunrise."

"Nicer now that we're inside," Jer said with a smile. "I forgot how cold it gets as winter comes," she continued. "This is only my second winter here in Gaia."

Elena was currently wondering if Jer would consider buying her some of the star covered paper while waiting for Chai's reply.

Chailyn gave a soft blush, she hadn't thought of that. She gave a smile trying not to show her slight embarrassment. "I didn't think of that. Thank you," she told the tale. She gave a genuine smile of thanks.

She flipped through a few pages finding a soft sunrise type stationary followed by a noon, sunset, and midnight. She fingered the sunrise and midnight ones looking to Elena. "I think I like these two, what do you think?"

"It does get cold here. I still haven't really gotten used to it and this will be my...," she paused in her words thinking lightly. It was her seventh year in Gaia. She hadn't ever experienced a winter with snow until coming here. "Seven years...it seems like such a short time though," she murmured mostly to herself.

She turned her attention back to Jerava. "It's nice to see snow though. At night when the snow has just covered the ground so that it's like a blank canvas and the light posts make the ground glitter, in the chance snow begins to fall again it seems like such gentle wisp of sparkles that the wind has blown down from the heavens to grace us with beauty," she stopped blushing much like Chailyn had earlier. Perhaps she was getting a bit carried away with her description of snowfall.

Elena smiled back happily, and looked at the two pieces of stationary. "That one matches you," she said, tapping the sunrise one, "And that one looks good next to it," she continued, tapping the other.

"Time passes at it's own rate, acknowledging us only in passing," Jer replied wistfully. "It rarely does what we expect, let alone what we want." Jer smiled gently at Ane's heartfelt description of snow. "I 've never thought about snow like that. I tend to avoid weather, "she said with a rueful grin. "Maybe this year I'll pay more attention to it."

"I never experienced snow where I'm from, so when it comes I like to watch it. I've always liked to watch the rain," Anemone mused outloud giving a smile. "I was kind of hoping she'd run into someone today, she needs to meet more people. Some days, she seems like she'd never leave home and others she wants more than anything to go anywhere," she leaned forward, resting her arms over her thighs as she watched the two tales.

"I like these yes, they're pretty like you. The midnight one is blue like you, too..." she paused giving a giggle at her rhyme. She smiled flipping some more through the book. "Do you want to look through it? We can find some pretty paper for you, too."

"Well, there was all sorts of weather where I came from," Jer said with a sad smile. "I was rarely in one place long enough to notice it, let alone enjoy it." The elven woman glanced over at the Tales as well. " Elena's finally started to meet people around her age. And I assume that they're Tall Tales as well." Another smile." I think all children are like that. My sister's certainly were."

Elena clapped her hands joyfully. "Okay! Let's take yours out first so you don't lose them."

"She seems to like watching things. She's very shy in groups and will stand there just observing people and things. One on one, she does wonderful. She's happy and excited, curious and energetic." She gave a smile up at Jer, "Do you miss where you came from?" She had started to say home but wasn't sure if the woman considered it that.

Anemone only half of the time considered Greece her home and those times where only when she thought of herself before she turned ten or so. After that, it wasn't home. Honestly, she wasn't sure it was home after her father left...though she barely remembered him. She'd always thought it would've been nice to have one.

"Okay! You're smart, I would've forgotten where they were," Chailyn complimented giving a blush. She carefully took out the two pieces she liked and laid them to the side. Pushing the book over to Elena, so she could see it more easily, she flopped down on her stomach. She looked up at the other tale giving a curious glance wondering what kind of paper she would pick out.

"I'm not sure what Elena would be like in a large group. Except for a few people, she's been well behaved and polite. I think these impromptu meetings are good for her, " Jer looked thoughtful at the mention of where she came from. "I used to miss it a lot. I left my family behind, as well as friends." She sighed. "But I've gotten myself attached to a much larger family and I've made new friends." Jer didn't mention Seso, an old friend she'd only recently gotten back in touch with. "So I hardly miss it now," Besides, she'd been banished around the time Seso had come back into her life. "What about you?"

Elena beamed happily at being called smart. Usually Salus was telling her how not smart she was. Jer tended to compliment the girl on what she had done, but then point out how much she still had to learn. This was quite a pleasant change. The girl began to flip through the pages, stopping at ones she liked. "I like this one best though," she said to Chailyn, pointing at the silver star speckled page. "Too hard to read what's on there. Unless they make pens that write in silver," she said with an uncertain laugh.

"I'm sure she's very polite, she seems to be getting along wonderfully with Chailyn," she said giving a nod. She looked up at Jer as she talked about where she came from. She smiled almost wistfully before snapping back to what Jer was speaking of.

"Oh, I left my mother and sister. I suppose my father was still alive, he left when I was two so I really don't remember him. Sometimes I only feel like I left my mother, and some of my friends. Hopefully, my sister has grown as a person," Anemone said trying to look on the brightside. She gave a smile shrugging her shoulders. It was so long ago it seemed. "It seems like an entirely different lifetime."

"I think it's pretty, too," Chailyn replied with a smile. She tilted her head to the side looking at the paper. "I saw some pens the other day at home. Each one writes in a different color, there was gold and silver, red and blue, green and purple, pink and orange, and lots more. I bet we could find all sorts of pretty pens." She nodded her head as if she had triumphed over a huge problem. She giggled, they could write words with a rainbow of colors.

"I feel the same way." Jer said. "Things are just so wildly different here." The elf grew quiet as she contemplated the path her life had taken since coming to Gaia.

Elena perked up when Chailyn mentioned the pens. "Maybe mum will buy me some pens to go withthe paper." The girl looked around curiously. "Do they sell pens here?"

Chailyn thought for a moment looking around. "It would seem likely. It wouldn't make much sense not to sell pens. You can't use paper without pen," she mused thoughtfully. Or rather you couldn't use a pen without paper. It went both ways.

She pushed herself up so that she was sitting on her knees. She was sure there were pens around here somewhere, there had to be. She stood up turning around in place before spotting a sparkle on the counter. "Maybe there are some up there," she said pointing.

"Yes, thing are different here. If I had the option to go back, I wouldn't. This is my home now and I'm happy here," Anemone replied giving a smile.

Elena looked where Chailyn was pointing, then nodded. "Maybe those are pens," she said after a moment. "Wouldn't you want the pens on a counter? she asked, wondering if Jer would consent to pick the girl up - after all, Elena could hardly see what was up there, let alone pick out a pen.

"Exactly!" Jer said with a laugh. "This is home now, for better or worse."

"Yes, indeed," Anemone replied. She glanced over at Chailyn and Elena the rest of her thought disappearing. She looked at the counter trying to figure out what they were looking at.

"Maybe if I was on my hands and knees you could stand on my back...erm, although I might fall over," the tale blushed. "Maybe your mom could pick you up and look for us?" she suggested instead. She didn't think acting as a stool for Elena would work very well, truthfully. It'd be best to ask their moms to lift them up.

The tale held her hand out to Elena, offering to help her up and then they could toddle over to where their mothers were talking.

"Good idea," Elena said, taking Chai's hand with a smile. After standing up, Elena released the other girl's hand and suted off her dress. "Mum," she said, tugging on the elf's sleeve. "Mum, Chailyn and I want to know if there are pens on the counter," she said when she had Jer's attention.

"Sure thing," Jer said with a shrug, easily lifting Elena up and settling the girl on her hip. "What kind of pen did you want?" the elf asked, eyeing the selection on the counter.

"I want a shiny silver one," Elena said, squirming a bit to get a better view. "What color did you want?" she asked Chailyn, squirming around again to look at the other girl.

Chailyn smiled at Elena as she stood up and dusted off her dress. She took hold of the tale's hand and walked to their mothers. She looked up at Jer curiously giving a smile. She listened looking at her mother for a moment.

"Umm, I think a shiny red or purple pen!" she concluded with enthuiasm. She gave a nod as if that finalized her decision. A red and purple pen would be nice to use when it came to writing in her tome. Or anywhere for that matter.

Jer quickly picked out a silver pen, handing it to Elena for the girl to hold on to. "Purple or red," she murmured under her breath, looking over the selection. Casting a look at Chailyn, Jer fingered a dark red pen with metallic highlights in it before selecting a similarly toned purple one. Setting Elena down once more, Jer knelt in front of Chai and held the pen out for inspection. "I hope this one will suffice," the elf said with a gentle smile.

Elena clutched the pen happily. Shiny silver, to go with the dark blue paper. She smiled and picked up the sample sheet, waiting to show it to Jerava so her mum could find the pack of paper like it.

Watching carefully, Chailyn's purple eyes seemed to shine when Jer found a purple one. She smiled nodding as she took it from the elf and then scurried off to her mother to show her the two samples she liked. As she walked back, she paused looking at Elena carefully.

"What's Lena like?" stumbling over the first E on accident. She blushed crossing her eyes as if she was trying to look at her mouth to scold it. She gave a giggle holding to Anemone's hand as the woman looked to Jer.

"She's like to get her friends gifts after meeting them. It's become a tradition of sorts." Anemone murmured in attempts to not ruin the surprise for Elena. It might be awhile until the girl found her new friend a gift.

"Stars," Elena said firmly in response to Chai's question as Jer started to look for the correct pack of paper. "Stars and jewelry."

"Nothing wrong with that," Jer said, flicking her tail happily as she browsed. "Giving gifts is just about as fun as getting them," she continued, turning around with the paper in her hands.

"What does Chailyn like?" Elena asked suddenly. If she was going to maybe be getting something, then Chai should get something too!

Chailyn smiled tucking the piece of information into her head. She'd work on finding a perfect gift soon. She was a bit caught off guard when Elena asked her what she liked. She paused for a moment thinking.

"I like...plushies and things with wings. I like lots of things." She pondered what she liked. It seemed until being asked she could've rambled off a hundred things. Putting put on the spot, she was torn on what to say.

"I like the beach and water, and the nighttime. The moon is always pretty," she added after some thought.

"I'll remember that," Elena said with a smile. "And maybe you'll be getting something too." Jer smiled as well, looking about for someone so she could pay for the items Elena had picked out.

"Do you think it would be alright if I left the money and a note on the counter?" Jer asked, mostly rhetorically. "I don't want to disrupt anything the shopkeepers might be doing," she explained.

"I suppose that would be all right. It wouldn't be right to just pay later, knowing me I'd forget," Anemone told Jerava. She gave a smile and looked around. There didn't seem to be anyone around, most likely she guessed they were busy. So she didn't think it'd be a problem.

Chailyn giggled, it was always nice to get things though she loved giving more. She smiled brightly. "Giving is just as nicer as getting when it comes to gifts," she said more as an attempt to break the silence she found herself in. She couldn't much think of anything to say.

Jer nodded in agreement, pulling her wallet out of a pocket. Riffling through the bills, the elf set down the correct payment for the paper and pen. "And a note to let them know what the money's for," Jer said with a laugh, pulling a black pen and a small piece of white paper out of the same pocket. In small, neat handwriting, Jer jotted down the names and prices for the items she'd purchased. Setting the note on top of the money, Jer slipped the pen and wallet back into the pocket from whence they had come.

Elena smiled at Chai's echoing of her mum's previous statement. "Mum, what time is it?" she asked suddenly. Jer flicked a glance at her wrist, then winced slightly.

"Time to go," she said with an apolegetic smile at Ane and Chai. "Don't want to be late for supper." Elena stood still while Jer put the girl's jacket back on, then looked questioningly at her mother. "Ah, right," Jer said, reaching into her pocket again. This time what she pulled out was a white business card, with Jer's name and P.O. box, as well as her cell phone number, written in a graceful script. "Elena had me make these for convenience's sake," the elf explained, holding it out to Ane. "Just has our contact information on it, in case you wanted it."

Chailyn gave a small frown hearing Jer saying it was time to go. She hugged Elena before backing away and giving a sad smile. "Bye 'Lena. I'll see you soon, I hope!" she chirped. She lifted her hand to wave before looking up at Jer. "Bye 'Lena's Mommy!" she added politely.

Anemone smiled taking the card. "Thanks, I'll make sure to keep this." She looked at Elena and Chailyn, knowing how Chailyn felt about saying good-bye to friends.

"You'll see her again and I know you'll find a perfect gift for her," she added the last part a bit softly but was sure Elena and Jer heard her. "It was nice to meet you both. We should be on our way as well." She reached her hand out to shake Jer's obviously waiting until the two left to pick the paper up and then pay for the items.

Elena blinked in some surprise at being hugged, but quickly returned it before Chailyn backed away. "I'd like that," Elena said somewhat shyly, backing away as well to stand next to Jer's leg.

"Bye Chailyn," Jer said with a soft smile for the girl, then shaking Ane's hand. "I really should get out more often, it's good for Elena. I'm glad you two were here," she said, bending down to pick Elena up, who waved goodbye until the pair had left the shop.

Elena kicked her legs back and forth as she sat in front of her computer, the ryhthm matching quite closely to the music Rasalus had put on before he'd gone off to check on the status of lunch. She was currently trying to figure out either how to turn the music off, or make it play something more current than the classical piano her Fandangle deemed appropriate for her. Idly clicking around, Elena finally gave up and started looking around online for something to do while she waited. She wasn't all that familiar with how to use a computer; her mum or Rasalus typically took care of anything she might need to do on a computer, and to date, the most she'd ever used it was to play a game about knights and princesses Jerava had found for her.

"Now what?" she asked herself, tapping a finger against the slightly oversized and kid friendly keyboard Jer had either created or bought. Legs still kicking in time with the music, Elena typed in a web address carefully, having finally decided what she was going to do. Typing 'Christmas presents' into the search engine she'd gone to, Elena browsed through several websites before landing on the Embermite & Kinoko ordering page. Looking at the Embermites, Elena beamed happily at the computer. "Thank you," she said politely to it, not having realized that this computer didn't have an AI attached to it. At least not yet; Jer was still working the kinks out of her AI systems. Picking out some for the Tales she'd already met, Elena tilted her head to the side as she tried to figure out which color they'd like. She even ordered one for Mehiyal, and she didn't particularly like him. Grabbing a lock of hair and sticking it in her mouth, Elena placed an order for one last Embermite - a pink one for someone named Aurora. "Dunno," she said to herself with a shrug, trying to remember where she'd heard that name before, if at all.

Now for payment. Elena mulled this over briefly before smiling rather deviously, picking the keyboard up to reveal one of her mum's credit cards. How Elena had gotten it, and why Jer hadn't noticed it was missing would likely remain a mystery. Entering the information carefully -- how easy this was, compared to stealing cash -- Elena was about to click on the submit button when the noise of her door opening made her pause.

"Mistress!" Rasalus called sharply from the door, causing Elena to jump and spin her chair to face her Fandangle, hair still in her mouth. "What have I told you about that?" he scolded, fussing at her while wishing he had hands to take the offending lock out.

"Not to?" Elena answered innocently, spitting it out with a smile. Tucking it behind her ear, Elena attempted to smooth it out and make it look like she hadn't been chewing on it.

"Exactly," Rasalus said disapprovingly before floating closer to look at what she'd been doing on the computer. "It's lunch time," he said absently, noting the presence of Jer's credit card. "Why don't you go on down and I'll finish this up for you?" he suggested, forestalling Elena's objection. She nodded sullenly and turned to leave.

"Don't change it," she warned him before she left. Rasalus didn't reply, instead clicking the 'Add to Order' button via the wireless link Jer had integrated into the house computers for the Fandangle's convenience. Looking over the selection of Embermites, Salus added one to the order - a blue one of the Nice variety. Confirming that yes, the order was correct, Salus submitted it and left, not bothering to check and see if the confirmation page had loaded.

It hadn't, due to a few safeguards Jer had installed. Because Elena had used one of her credit cards without Jer's knowledge, the order was held until someone could review it. Unfortunately for Elena, Laure was the first one to get a look at it. "Nice?" Laure snorted, noting Rasalus' addition. "Not hardly." Tempted to just put a stop to the order, Laure reconsidered and added two things of her own to it. The corresponding Naughty blue Embermite for Elena and a Kinoko (whatever they were) for Jerava. "That sounds about right," Laure said, feeling very satisfied with herself. Laure then sent the order off, secure in the knowledge that the order had actually been placed, and that Elena would be getting a nasty surprise come Christmas.

Once again, the order was stopped from going through. Laure had assumed that she had the authority to process these unauthorized transactions, but in actuality Jerava was the only one who could approve such things. So, in the middle of lunch, much to Anli's disapproval, Jer got a message on her Glitchen (a small personal computer with an AI) that there was a pending transaction on one of her credit cards. Elena began fidgeting a little when her mum's gaze fell on her; Jerava didn't mind the credit card theft, as she'd set Elena up for that one in the first place. Still, it was always nice to know the girl respected her authority. Tapping a few keys on the device, Jer noted the additions to the order and suppressed a grin with great difficulty. Another few taps and she added her own purchases to the order, though she was a little fuzzy on who Anarya was. For some reason, the name made her think of the shard of glass still sitting in her lab. With one last keystroke - this one to finally confirm the order - Jer set the Glitchen down and started eating again.

"What was that about?" Laure asked from her station by the door. Anli didn't mind the Fandangles in the room, but she drew the line at them interrupting her carefully ordered seating arrangements...which usually didn't last anyway.

"Mm? Oh, just some junk e-mail," Jer replied glibly. "Used a new way to get around the filters, so I had to set up an even smarter one," she continued, not at all concerned about lying to her familiar. After all, Laure hadn't told her about the order. Laure eyed Jer a little suspiciously, but decided not to pursue the matter. Elena would get her scolding soon enough, when Jer got the credit card bill, and the intervening period would probably highly amusing as the Tale wondered how much her mum knew. Pursuing such thoughts, Laure didn't pay any attention to the rest of lunch, which passed quickly, especially in Elena's case.

The slam of her door hitting the wall, accompanied by the patter of feet - at least two people - started Jerava towards wakefulness, although the pause in the patter, which was followed quickly by a thud as someone jumped onto the bed, finished the job rather nicely. "Careful of the legs," Jer warned, stretching her arms above her head and cracking an eye open to peer sleepily at the flushed and excited girl sitting on her knees.

"Sorry mum," Elena said breathlessly, sliding off and tugging on the blankets. "Come on, Laure said we can't open presents til you're downstairs," the girl continued, explaining why she was up here.

"Well, that's nice of her," Jer said, flipping her covers back and swinging her legs over the side of the bed with a wince. "Why can't we have a tropical holiday?" she grumbled, pulling her feet back up to peer at the wooden floor with a grimace of distast. "And why did I forget to put rugs in? Laira, have you seen my slippers and robe?" the elf asked the other person in the room, who slid the fuzzy blue slippers across the floor with a grin.

"I've got your warm robe as well," the Tahnee girl added, patting the garment she had folded over one arm. Jer smiled gratefully, and slid her feet into the slippers, standing up with another stretch of her arms.

"You're a lifesaver," Jer said, taking the robe from Laira's now outstretched arm, cinching the belt about her waist after she had put it on. "I don't think Elena would have survived if I'd decided to just stay in bed." Indeed, the Tale was quivering with excitement and bounced off the bed as soon as Jer started moving towards the door. She was not so excited as to forget some semblance of manners; taking a moment to straighten her nightdress, Elena preceded Jer out the door at what could best be described as a fast trot.

"Stairs are too slow," Elena said abruptly, taking a detour towards the elevator. "Unless you slide down the railing," she added as an afterthought, although it was highly unlikely the prim and proper little princess was going to spend any time sliding down banisters. Tapping her foot impatiently, although the elevator arrived mere moments after the button had been pushed, Elena practically shoved Jer and Liara in. Darting in herself and stabbing a finger at the button to go to the main floor, the young Tale continued her foot tapping, the sound echoing in the otherwise silent elevator. Laira and Jer shared an amused glance over Elena's head, then had their arms sharply tugged on as Elena started pulling them out of the now open door. "Too slow," Elena whined again, darting forward of the older pair to stand impatiently in an open doorway, light and noise pouring out from the room behind her.

The girl dodged into the room as Jer reached the door, allowing the elf a moment to look the room over. It was slightly crowded, even though this was easily the largest of the living rooms, but there were clear pathways through the clustered family members, which Jer attributed more to Anli's meddling than any conscious attempt on the other's part. Laira had slipped in behind Jer and was currently perched on the arm of the chair Sahain was sitting in, and as Jer watched, the Tahnee slipped off and landed in his lap. With a chuckle, Jer looked around for Elena, who was easily spotted sitting right next to the tree, Rasalus hovering above her head. "Up here mum," Elena called out insistently, waving her arm, nearly hitting her Fandangle. "Anli and Laure made sure there was a chair up here for you." Jer nodded in acknowledgement and made her way up to the front, murmuring responses to the greetings called out to her. As soon as she was settled in the chair, with a mug of hot tea in her other hand, Laure began passing out gifts. The rest of the morning passed quickly, in a blur of wrapping paper, gift bags, and excited squeals.

At the end of it all, Jer was left in the room with Laure, Elena, and Rasalus, the Tahnee having fled before Anli could rope them into helping with Christmas dinner. "Well darling," the elf said to her daughter, a fond smile on her face, "How was your first Christmas?" Elena fidgeted a bit in her mother's lap, before fingering the necklace Jer had gotten for her.

"Good," she said cautiously, unsure of where this was going. "Want more stuff next time," the girl added more firmly when Jer didn't reply. Jer chuckled and ran her finger along the side of Elena's head, tucking a strand of hair behind the girl's pointed ear.

"I thought you might," Jer replied softly, bouncing the Tale a little on her lap. "Now. It's getting closer to dinner time, so let's get you upstairs and dressed before Anli comes in here and chases us out." Elena nodded and slid off Jer's lap, tugging her nightgown straight and picking up the two Embermites she'd also gotten.

"Come on Salus! You've gotta help me pick a dress," she said impatiently, stamping a foot before dashing out of the room, long hair streaming behind her, while Rasalus followed at a slightly more sedate speed.

"Not a complete disaster after all," Jer commented to her Fandangle, who snorted and began cleaning up the mes the family had made. "I'll see you after dinner then?" she asked, pausing with her hand on the doorframe, looking back on the room.

"Yeah," Laure replied shortly. Jer lingered in the doorway for a moment, waiting to see if her familiar was going to say anything further. The silence stretched between the two before Jer finally left, unsettled by something she couldn't quite place her finger on.

Although the sun was bright, and the birds chittered and chirruped their little bird-y words, the air was bitter and cold, and the wind would scream by your face in brutal slashes, stinging any and all exposed flesh that it could. It was not a pleasent day to be outside, especially if you were naturally hot-blooded--not warm-blooded, but hot-blooded.
Especially if you were Ioyla and Ilistala Infriti, mother-daughter extraordinaire! The two were currently sitting outside a local grocery store in Barton, eating Chinese food and complaining about the cold.
Well, Ioyla was complaining; Ilistala was having the time of her life!
"Stala want a 'neggroll?" Ioyla offered her small child an eggroll that had been stabbed with a chopstick. She stuck out the tip of her tongue and wiggled the eggroll for her daughter's amusement.
"'Negroll!" Stala squealed, tearing the food off the chopstick. She smashed the food all over her pudgy hands, then licked whatever remains off. She did this with great gusto!
"That was...real cute, kid," Ioyla squeaked, gulping and feeling suddenly not so hungry. Mushed up eggroll? nothx.

Again with the shopping. Jerava had gotten Elena some books the last time they were out, but the girl demanded more. Jer idly wondered where her daughter had gone, and who this stranger was now leading her down a path in Barton. Elena stopped suddenly, and Jer ran into the girl.

"Why'd you stop?" she asked the toddler, who was staring at the flame haired child with tatoos all over her arms. "Lena, darling, it's not polite to stare," Jer repriminded the girl, bundled up in a blue coat, while Jer wore her simple white jacket, her tail flicked into a pocket to keep the tip warm.

"Mum, she has wings," Elena replied in an awe filled voice.

"Yes, she does," Jer said shortly, not wanting to stay outside any longer than necessary.

Ioyla continued to sit and munch on her food in quiet bliss. She, unlike the people behind and around her, was not wearing a jacket; her trademark gremlin hat was probably the thickest article of clothing she was wearing, but Ioyla really didn't feel like getting a coat. Call her lazy, call her stubborn, just don't call her practical!
She might have gone on eating and teasing Stala without even turning around, but Ioyla suddenly felt like she was...being watched. Her heightened senses perked up, her flesh pebbled over, and she turned quickly, dropping the chopsticks into the carton of food, expecting the worse: someone coming to hurt or snatch her and Ilistala.
But it was only a young woman and a toddler.
"Jeeze lady, you scared the s**t outta me!" Ioyla stood up to pat her chest, and she felt the rapid beat of her heart under her hand. The demon girl bent down to pick Ilistala up off the ground, who was positively filthy with smashed eggroll.
she cried again, gurgling and squealing again.

"My apologies," Jer said with a half bow. "My daughter," she said with hardly a trace of hesitation considering how Elena was not biologically related to her, "seems quite entranced with her wings," she continued with a flick of her hand towards Ilistala. "I'm sorry if we've disturbed you," the elf finished with a questioning lilt to her voice. Elena had started to walk closer, and Jer's spaded tail snaked out of a pocket to snag the toddler about the waist.

"Muuuum," Elena whined, turning to face Jer. "I was just going to look," she continued petulantly.

"Of course you were," Jer murmured quietly, pushing a strand of hair behind her long, pointed ears. "But you can look from here." The elf cocked her head at Ioyla. "Unless you don't mind if we come closer?" she asked, ignoring the stream of profanity coming from the toddler's mouth. Jer certainly wasn't one to criticize or censor another's parenting. There really was no right way to raise a child, although there were plenty of people who not only thought so, but would try and push their parenting method on anyone and everyone within metaphorical shouting distance. Such idle speculation was a way to pass the short interval between Jer's question and Ioyla's answer.

Ioyla straightened her hat and hoisted Stala up a bit further. Well then. The little grabby child thinger sure seemed interested in Ilistala! Ioyla shrugged as she casually lowered the toddler to the ground. "Nope, don't mind oooone bit, lady. Yous two can take s'long as ya want." The demon took a step back while Ilistala stumbled forward; she was still a toddler, and therefor, her walking skills were still limited.
"Biaaaa! Chaaaaaaaaaaa!" she shrieked, spinning for both Jer and Elena's amusement. Her tiny leathery wings flapped out behind her, and when she was done, the child promptly sat down. Her cheeks were apple-red, and her wild orange hair was absolutely insane, now. "Chachacha~."
Ioyla merely watched Ilistala with mixed amusement and annoyance. She really wasn't a fit mother; but who gave a ********! The point was, was that she was going to do her damn best at raising Ilistala! So what if her first word was an obscenity! If Stala were to ask, Ioyla would say it was mama, or something dumb like that. Ioyla was the personification of mature.
"...anyways, hi! I'm Ioyla, but you can call me Yola if ya want!" She stuck out a scrawny hand toward Jer, grinning her dorky grin and expecting nothing but hospitality.

"Be nice," Jer murmured to Elena, releasing the child from the grip of her tail. Elena, who had been a toddler for quite some time and therefore had better motor skills than Stala, walked confidently over to the other girl.

"Pretty wings," Elena said quietly, mostly ignoring what Stala was saying since it didn't make sense to her. The girl blinked in thought. Oh dear. What if those were all the words Stala knew? Only one way to find out. "What're those?" she asked, indicating Stala's tatoos. "They look nice too."

Jer took Ioyla's hand, her manicured nails and obviously well cared for skin a sharp contrast to the other woman. "A pleasure to meet you," Jer said, not quite as cheerfully as Ioyla, but definently not hostile or upset. "I'm Jerava, or Jer, and the little one is Elena." Releasing her hand after an appropriate interval, Jer sat down on the bench next to Ioyla, avoiding the mess that Stala had created, as well as the remains of the meal.

Ioyla noticed the difference between the two women's...spending abilities perhaps moreso than Jerava. She let her hand slowly slide away, deep into the warm confines of her pocket. Jeeze...no more extra-large box of Cocoa Crispies--they surely could start saving money! She took a seat next to Jer, side-stepping fallen beef-fried rice and eggrolls. So elegant...!

"Oh, yeah, Jer, okay! Cool." The young demon locked her fingers together and held them at the back of her neck, leaning back, absolutely relaxed, despite the cold weather. "Lookit er go, Jer," she suddenly pointed out.

Ilistala was entirely perplexed by Elena's questions. What were what? Her marky thingies? "Nanana?" the toddler questioned, toddling closer to Elena. She lifted a chubby, eggroll-smeared arm into the older child's face, apparently giving her a better look at her markings. They had been there since the moment she was born--well, exploded, really--so they were completely normal to her. If anything, people without markings were weird! Especially mommy, who didn't have anything cool to show off besides her little nub things in her hair. "Bazzabazza!" she babbled, moving her arm farther into Elena's face.

"Oh, God, c'mon Stala..." Ioyla muttered, making a move to get up. But not yet...the sun was so warm! Maybe if Elena and/or Jerava had a problem with her, then Ioyla would remove Stala...

Jer didn't seem discomfited by the disparities between her and Ioyla, stretching her legs out and crossing them at the ankle. "Walking, second only to talking when it comes to terrorizing and scaring parents," Jer said dryly, watching as Stala came closer to Elena.

Elena wrinkled her nose slightly as Stala's arm came closer to her face. Taking a quick step backwards to avoid having eggroll smeared over her, Elena nodded. "Yes, those." Elena's hair flared brightly for a moment, the star like markings normally hidden among the deep blue of her hair glowing even though it was still light outside. The girl was aware of this event and blushed furiously, even the tips of her pointed ears, much like her mother's, turning a bright red. She still hadn't come to terms about her hair, used to it only glowing when it was dark, at which point she was usually in bed with no one to see.

The young mother continued to be confounded by Stala. She sat back farther in the bench, if that was possible, and linked her fingers together at her stomach. Her legs went entirely rigid, the toes of her boots pointing at the sky. "You said it, sister," she mumbled, shifting positions only once to get the crook of her neck resting on the back of the bench. It really wasn't that comfortable, but Ioyla liked the way this position made her look taller. Ioyla would risk serious back and neck problems for a few more inches any day.

Stala blinked, twice, when Elena seemed to radiate a weird blue glow. Oh, how cool! She clapped and stamped her feet in joy, little leathery wings beating at the air in unison with her feet. "Gurrrrgh!" she chirped, and reached out to touch Elena's ears, then hair, with gentle awe. She held out her arm again, hell-bent on showing off her tattoos again, even if the little elf-girl had already seen them. Hey, it's the thought that counts!

Jer blinked at the reply, but didn't say anthing in response to being called sister. It was meant to be friendly, and Jer would accept such appelations in the spirit in which they were intended. She couldn't help but chuckle as Elena, who as quite fastidious about her appearance, was patted over by the other girl, getting eggroll bits dropped on her hair.

Elena, for her part, held herself still while Stala felt her ears and hair, already knowing that she was going to take a bath as soon as she got back home. Feeling slightly adventerous - and she was already messy - Elena reached out a hand to touch Stala's tattoos, not sure what to expect when her seeking fingers met the other's arm. "Can I tocuh your wings too? Elena asked curiously. A few of the Tahnee around the house had feathery wings, which were soft and fluffy, but Elena hadn't had a chance to really see anyone with wings like Stala's.

Ioyla accepted the silence with a grin. This Jer lady seemed confused by Ioyla's attitude, and perhaps she was right to be confused. The two women were entirely different, Ioyla being spunky and down-to-earth, and Jer, apparently, much more sophisticated than the young demon. Yet they shared the same common bond, a bond that would, one day, bring them, and others, together: a Shattered child to look after. But Ioyla wouldn't know this. She didn't know much, after all.

"So how come you're livin here? I mean, y'know, no 'fense to you or anythin! You just look too, uh...what's the word I'm thinkin of? Uh...too...well-bred for little ol' Gaia. You know?" Ioyla was honetly interested in Jer's affair, despite how nosey she got. She was still stretched out over the bench, but one eye was cracked open to watch the two children, making sure Ilistala didn't start anything crazy. Like a fire.

Elena would notice that, as she touched Stala, her skin would be extra warm, no credit to the cold weather. The tattoos, however, were much, much hotter than her flesh--perhaps they meant something...

"Nahnah," she chirruped, shivering at Elena's touch. As if understanding the request the little elf girl put in, Ilistala turned her back to the small crowd, and her wings flapped gently in the air. "Baaaah!"

"Ah," Jer said on an exhaled breath. "I don't actually. Live in Gaia," she added. "It's a tad bit complicated, and even more technical, but in simplest terms my house exists outside of Gaia. I simply have doors that come here." Jer was about to explain further, and had even raised her arms to sketch out what she was talking about, but stopped herself. "Like I said. It's a bit complicated," the elf said with a laugh, lowering her arms to rest against the back of the bench. "Besides," Jer continued, flipping her tail so it looped over her knees, "There are parts of Gaia where I'd be considered too 'low class'." The last was said with a derisive snort, indicating what Jer thought about such matters, as well as neatly avoiding any mention of how, exactly, she had come to Gaia.

Pale fingers met slightly darker skin as Elena made contact, the Tale's eyes widening slightly. How incredibly odd - Stala was warm, even though the wind was blowing and making everything cold. And the tattoos! Elena quickly pulled her hand away, since she didn't want to be burned, if that was even possible. Good thing too - suddenly there were wings in her face. "Thank you," Elena said politely, once again reaching her hand out to gently stroke a finger along the leathery wings. The girl smiled - the wings were soft, not like feathery ones, but still nice.

Ioyla sat quietly and twiddled her thumbs while Jer (sort of) explained herself. She blinked when the topic of her own level of class came up. "Too low class? Jer, you gotta be pullin my leg or somethin! You've got nice hands, and--and nice clothes and all that good stuff!" Ioyla lept to her feet, ignoring the popping of her knees, and pulled on the sleeve of her shirt. "If I was you, I'd g'on over to those there parts of Gaia that think I'm low class and give em a good boot in the balls!" She wildly swung her foot out, nearly kicking Ilistala in the face. "Like that."

Finished with her strange outburst, Ioyla climbed atop the bench. She stood straight up, one arm bent on her side, the other curved at her head with her hand shielding her eyes from the bright sun. Looking not unlike an experienced Safari explorer, she scanned the grounds in front of her, finally pointing to a random part in the west. "Me and Stala live ov'r there, in Aekea, right." She faultered. "Well, at least...I think it's Aekea. Let's just call it Aekea The Second."

Meanwhile, Ilistala, not noticing nearly being knocked flat on her back by her mother, did a little dance while Elena touched her wings. She giggled when her fingers slid over the leathery appendages. That tickled! Ilistala would giggle again, then turn back around to give a little toddler eggroll-infested kiss on Elena's cheek. She swiveled her arms out a bit, mimicking an airplane, and gleefully blew raspberries in the other child's direction.

Ilistala suddenly lept to her feet and zoomed off at her mommy, still playing airplane. She climbed upon the bench to sit in Ioyla's lap, where she plucked at her shirt, cooing and babbling to herself. Ioyla grunted and moved to pet Stala's hair, smiling gently.

"Well, no one said they were right," Jer murmured in reply. "Although," she said with an arched eyebrow and a mischevious smile, "Wouldn't that just prove that I am too low class for them?" she asked, the tip of her tail twitching slightly, as if with repressed laughter. "No matter," the elf continued, waving a hand idly, "I don't want anything to do with that kind of stuff anyway. Too much of a bother."

Jer craned her neck to look up at Ioyla, following the woman's pointing finger. "Ah. I work in Aekea," Jer added in an effort to extend the conversation. "Secretarial work," she elaborated slightly, really really not wanting to discuss much about her job - people had been killed there and the shop was now rather creepy feeling. Truthfully, Jer hadn't been to work in quite a long time, and wasn't really inclined to go back anytime soon.

Having pulled her fingers back right before Stala turned around, Elena was nonetheless surprised by the kiss, although the eggroll addition was...interesting, to say the least. Yes, definently bath time when the Tale got home. Elena's head canted to the side as Ilistala began making noises and running around - the elf child had never really done anything like that, probably because she takes life a little too seriously. Following at a more sedate and dignified state, Elena climbed up on the bench as well, Jer's tail tucking itself around her waist, with the girl's head resting on her mum's side.

Heaving a shrug at Jer's observation of who's better than who, Ioyla twisted her legs to sit indian-style, a more comfortable position for the toddler in her lap. She stroked Stala's head, soothing the younger one, who appeared absolutely exhausted. Hey, it was hard work entertaining! "Oh, cool, you work there? I don't got a job, but I'm bound to get one soon! I'll work at...at, I dunno. Maybe Liam's shop. He's handsome nuff, you think?" She flashed a dorky grin. "'Course, I don't think I'd do that great there. I'm too, uh...what's the word I'm lookin for? Not lazy, but...leen...leen'ent!"

Ilistala hiccuped at Ioyla's outburst. The demon shushed her child, shifting once more to cradle her. "Ma?" Stala murmured, wiggling her body to a more comfortable position in her mother's arms. "Maaa..."

"Thass right, baby, I'm your ma." Ioyla smiled and kissed the top of Stala's head, somewhat oblivious to the fact that Jer and Elena were around and not really caring. Ioyla loved her baby, no matter what, although the events that were to take place in the chocolate shop in Gambino would leave Ioyla feeling not only love for her child, but fear. Lifting her head, Ioyla turned to Jer and Elena, jerking her head to the little one. "How old are you, darlin?" she asked, smiling again.

Jer flipped her hand back and forth in a sort of gesture. "I think my current job is going to end fairly soon," she said somewhat sadly. While the Forge had gotten a little creepy and bizarre, Jer still had fond memories of the place, as well as all the people she'd met while working there. The elf listened to the other woman talk about her own search for a job, and then nodded. "Lenient, perhaps?" she corrected gently. "I'm sure you'll find a job somwhere; Gaia is full of shops that need help."

Elena had closed her eyes, although she wasn't sleeping. Just lightly dozing, and Ioyla's question caused her to move her head away from her mum's side to peer at the demon in thought. She kicked her feet against the bench as her mind went over all the things her mum had mentioned about her appearance from a book after Jerava had answered a question. "I think I'm," Elena began, counting on her fingers to arrive at the correct number, "Eight months old," she said proudly, not aware that she looked nothing like an eight month old should. Then again, things were rather odd here in Gaia, at least regarding normal aging rules.

While Elena told Ioyla her age, pins and needles assualted the latter's legs, which had been folded up underneath Ilistala. Ioyla grimaced and moved her child to rest against the back of the bench, her head lolling on her shoulder. She began rubbing and stretching her legs, speaking all the while.

"Oh yeah? Eight months, huh? Stala here's bout, mm...June...July..." Ioyla stopped working over her legs to count on her fingers, turning her head to the sky to concentrate better, although she never really concentrated that well at all. "I think she's bout, uh, seven months old! But she looks so much older, huh! I tell you, this Gaia place sure is freaky. There must be somthin in the water!"

Ioyla leaned back to stretch majestically: Pulling back her arms, exposing a portion of her belly; screwing her eyes shut and seeing dark spots once she opened them; yawning so loud and so deep, her ears would pop. She looked almost like a lion on the Kenyan plains. Ilistala sleepily crawled back to her mother's lap, where she twisted and wormed her way back into her previous position.

"Ohh, s'a sleepy haid~," Ioyla coo'd, poking Stala's cheek and receiving a grumpy whine in return. "We should prob'bly get goin. I guess Stala is ready for her nap. Aren'tcha, baby! Yeeeah, you aaare." Ioyla peeled herself off the bench, clutching Ilistala to her breast.

"Nice meetin ya, Jer. You too, Elena! With your pretty blue hair'n ears. Such a little cutie pie." The demon held out her hand for Jer to give a farewell handshake, grinning and in an all-together good mood.

Elena peered at Stala curiously. The girl certainly didn't seem to be almost as old as her, and yet, she was. How odd.

"That's the most probable explanation I've heard," Jer said dryly in response. About to continue, the elf clamped her jaw shut in an effort to restrain her sympathetic reation to Ioyla's yawn; a wasted effort, Jer did, however, keep herself from the jawcracking yawn Ioyla's had inspired.

"G'bye Stala," Elena said softly, her own eyes beginning to drift shut. Before she could snuggle closer to her mum, Jer dug in a pocket of her jacket, pulling out a business card to slip in the other woman's hand as they shook.

"Has our phone number and P.O. box on it," Jer explained, shaking Elena gently to keep her from falling alseep. "In the event you'd ever want to contact us," she continued with a smile to keep any sting out of the comment. Standing up, once she was certain Elena wouldnt fall over, Jer picked the girl up, settling her lightly on her hip, tail tucked around Elena's waist for extra security. "A pleasure to meet you both."

Ioyla balanced Ilistala against her chest with one hand like a pro, using the other to warmly shake Jer's hand. She took the business card from the elf's grasp, turning it over in her fingers to study the name and number. Wow, a business card! How professional! Made Ioyla want to get a slice of paper with her phone number on it, too.

"Okeydokey, Jer!" she chiurrped, sliding the card behind her ear for safe-keeping, "I'll give ya a ring some time! Maybe Elena and Stala'll wanna play, yeah?" She smiled and tipped Jer a pleasent bow, mindful of keeping a hand on the back of Stala's head to keep it from rolling all over the place. She blew the groggy Elena a kiss, giggling and turning to shuffle back home, where the two would sleep the afternoon away, full on Chinese food and a new friend.

An envelope in the mail for Aislin contains two notes, one written in an elegant and old fashioned script, the other one careful, as if the writer was just learning how to write.

Aislin,

Thanks (I think) for the book. Elena's been rather quiet, which is good, but now she wants to go shopping for her own books and not just rely on my library. Ah well, I can afford a few duplicates.

Luthe's not a problem at all, he pretty much stays over in his wing of the house (yes, he has his own wing. He was rather speechless when I told him. So cute.), and Laure is usually able to keep him out of trouble within the house. What he does when he's not here is certainly none of my business. Well, unless he asks me for something or does something to/with Laure, but you get the idea.

You should stop by sometime, I know Elena would love to see you again. And I think we might have some things to talk about, yes?

~Jerava

Dear shiny lady,

Thank you four for the book. Mum says we can't go get more yet, but I'm going to make her get me more soon. It's a good book, and Salus has to help me with the words sometimes because I don't know them all yet. I'll learn them and be able to read as well as Mum!

Come see us at the house, okay?

Elena with help from Rasalus.

Coward, the voice hissed again. Since Uriel's arrival, Rasalus had been hearing a voice, undetectable by anyone else. When he'd asked Laure about it, she'd given him a strange, almost compassionate, look, and told him to find some way to otherwise occupy Elena in order to have some time to himself. This was, however, easier said than done. Not only was it deeply rooted in his personality programming to want to spend time with his Bond, Elena had taken to dragging him along everywhere and expecting him to obey her every whim in an effort to prove that she had the better Fandangle as a reaction to Anarya's acquisition of Uriel.

How so? Rasalus replied wearily, sure that he would get no further answer, like every other time he had asked the same question in response to the same remark.

You cannot protect her like this, came the growling, shockingly unexpected reply. You are too weak, and have not the courage to grow beyond your limitations.

Limitations? Rasalus said after a moment. His journey down the hallway from the front of the house to the back had slowed to a crawl. Thankfully for him, Elena was occupied with her rather undignified pottery lessons.

You have learned much in your current state, the voice replied, tone full of grudging compliment. Your knowledge is great, to be sure, but you have no wisdom to temper your arrogance. And you cannot gain this wisdom without change. And you, young one, are afraid of change. Accusation this time, striking Rasalus to the core of his being. Temptation to answer back hotly, denying this charge with everything he was, came quickly, but instead the Fandangle chose to ponder the words. Was he afraid of change?

I... he trailed off as he stopped moving completely. Yes, he said softly, wishing that this was not so and wanting to go and hide himself in shame for having admitted to such a weakness.

It is weakness, yes. A gentle, warm reply this time and Rasalus looked about in no small amount of shock as what had previously been a placidly colored hallway in Jerava's house transformed itself into an expanse of shifting desert landscape. But one you can overcome, with my help! The fierceness and strength had returned to the voice and Rasalus spun about, in time to see the gaping jaws of a lion swallow him whole as everything faded to black.

As soon as Rasalus lost consciousness, his body fell to the floor with a clatter. As this was a seldom used hallway, it would be some time before any discovered where he was manually. Of course, there were security cameras nearly everywhere in the house, and it was thus that someone was able to view the Fandangle's plight.

"Cancel the alert," Laure said calmly as she watched impassively from the security hub. The computer beeped an affirmative, offering no back talk or questioning the elder Fandangle's decision not to inform anyone of her fallen fellow. She steepled her fingers, still a glorious sensation and one she would never tire of, watching as slowly the second Fandangle began to change. "There we go," she whispered triumphantly.

After what seemed like hours for someone as acutely aware of miniscule passage of time as Laure was, Rasalus's prone form stopped it's subtle shifting and he rose up from the floor, floating at his accustomed height, somewhere around where Elena's shoulder would be. He shook himself once, sending a fine spray of water about before resuming his trek down the hallway.

"Congratulations," Laure said quietly over a private channel.

"Thank you," Rasalus replied, his voice deeper and stronger, feeling a rare moment of kinship with the other Fandangle as he arrived at his destination, the pottery shed where Elena was just now emerging.

"Rasalus!" Elena exclaimed, setting one hand on her hip as she looked sternly at her familiar. "Where have you been?" she asked scoldingly, narrowing her eyes in annoyance.

"Forgive me, Mistress," he replied, ignoring Dyran completely as the Tahnee started to clean up. "I was unavoidably delayed," the Fandangle continued, his voice practically a purr.

"Obviously," Elena muttered, raising her hand to tug absently on the bun her hair was in as she headed towards the house. She stopped for a moment and looked at Rasalus more critically. "You look...different," she commented as they walked.

"It is why I was delayed," he said proudly, floating closer for further inspection.

"You're dripping on me," Elena complained instead, flicking a finger at him to send him away. "I need to wash this off," she said as they entered the house, wondering if she'd grow as suddenly as he had.

Elena sat on a stone bench in a park outside of Durem. Jer had left the girl there while the elf went shopping, at Elena's request. Rasalus was there as well, the shiny blue widget floating above her head. Elena was wearing one of her new princess dresses and had her book of fairy tales that Thabara had given her open on the bench next to her. "Salus, what's this word mean?" she asked, wrinkling her nose at the book. It was full of words she didn't know, but she was determined to learn them all.

A shadow passed over Elena and her book, blocking out the sun for just a moment. High above them, a great blue pegasi flung himself into the wind, carrying it's squealing winged passenger as far away from the temporary home they had lived on for the past day or so, while his mother had left to find his father. Auntie Dee hadn't noticed him slip away with his pegasi, and so he had free reign to do as he pleased. At the moment he simply flew, enjoying the way everyone looked like ants below him.

A flash of blue caught his eye, and he nudged Frey to turn, which the steed obediantly did. He rounded in the air, floating back towards the girl sitting on a bench, reading. She looked familiar, though he was sure he didn't know her, but that couldn't stop him from being intrigued. Besides, she was somewhere around his age, if not a little older. Beside her he saw what had caught his eye in the air; it hadn't been her, but rather a shiny blue round thing floating nearby. That alone was cause for further investigation.

The great pegasi flew with it's back to the sun, wings beating down to force his descent to slow. Donny curved his head over the neck of his pegasi as it landed, looking at Elena curiously.

"Hoy." He called out, as if trying to get her attention, when he probably already had it.

Elena looked up as a shadow went floating past her book, then looked back, thinking it was only a cloud. She continued to read, mouthing the words as she followed the sentence with her finger. Rasalus actually noted Donny's arrival first - the Fandangle turned to face the new arrival, bobbing in the air somewhat dejectedly. And today had started out so promisingly for the widget too. "Mistress," he said gently, breaking Elena's concentration on the book, right before Donny spoke.

Elena looked up, intending to scold her familiar for interrupting when she saw Adonis. Her blue eyes, now glowing slightly, widened as she took in the sight before her. "Um, hello," she said somewhat breathlessly. He was so shiny! And what was that he was on? Her eyes narrowed as she studied it. She wanted one too!

There was something familiar about the girl. Perhaps it was the colors she sported, or the way her eyes glowed, or the little glowy bits of her hair that reminded him of stars much like his wings did. Whatever it was, it caught Donny off guard enough to make him quiet for a minute. The pegasi had landed by then, and when Donny failed to hop off, it bent it's head back and snatched Donny's tunic by the back of the neck, plucking the child off and dropping him down in front. Donny squirmed as he was pulled off, looking up at his steed with annoyance before he toddled to Elena. He stopped just in front of her, and bent his entire small upper half down in a stiff bow.

He got back up and his eyes narrowed as he looked her over with no regard for how rude staring might seem. "Hello." He parroted back at her, before pointing at himself. "Donny." He stated, before dropping his hands and moving to tackle an attempt at trying to get on the bench.

"Who are you?" He asked with some difficulty as he struggled to climb up with no grace in his actions at all.

Elena's eyes glowed brighter at the bow, and she was tempted to climb off the bench to offer him a curtsy in return, but before she could, he began to try and get up on the bench. Elena sympathized, she'd had to have her mum place her on the bench before the woman had gone off on her shopping trip, since clambering all over things in a dress was Not Dignified. "I'm Elena," the girl replied, moving her book out of the way. "That's Salus," she continued, motioning at the Fandangle.

"Rasalus," he corrected absently, moving to hover closer to his Mistress' head. Elena waved a hand dismissively, ignoring the widget's correction.

Donny wrapped his wings tightly around him to keep from hitting her or the bench, before settling in and giving her a quick look. His eyes then turned t o Rasalus when he spoke, watching it with a mixture of jealousy and captivation. "S'nice to meet you both. Wha's Rasalus? He can talk.." The last part was said in a hushed voice, as if a little unsure about whether or not this was really true, and not wanting to look silly for saying it.

His sharp eyes then turned to Elena, and he gave her a wide grin. "You look like you could be my sister!" He chirped, pointing to her hair with one finger, which then turned on his own wings. Clearly one similar trait meant possible relation to the boy.

"It's nice to meet you as well," Elena replied warmly, pleased that Donny was a well mannered sort. At least so far. "He's a Fan...Fanda," Elena trailed off uncertainly on the reply, the word not wanting to come out.

"Fandangle," Rasalus once again corrected, clearly eununciating the word so his Mistress could leanr to say it properly. "I am Miss Elena's companion, a mechanical familiar." Elena sighed slightly - she wasn't sure anyone her age knew what those words meant.

She blinked and then stared at Donny's wings. "I guess so," she said somewhat dubiously, twirling a lock of her starry hair around a finger. "Yeah, we could be related!" she said more confidently - after all, she now had a sister who's only point of resemblance was pointy ears.

"Fandangle." Donny repeated, as his complex mind went to work on the word. The big blue thing was roundish, and floaty.. and a fan blows air.. so it was a big blue dangling fan. Got it!

Donny pushed himself up to stand on the bench, and faced the Fandangle, grinning at it in expectance. Yet.. no air breezed against him. What gives?

After a minute of standing there awkwardly, Donny's smile faded, and he pursed his lips in annoyance. "I think ish broken."

He plopped back down on the bench and stretched out as he yawned, every appendage extending to its full capacity for a moment before returning to it's normal position.

"How come you out here alone?" He asked Elena, clearly ignoring the big floaty fan as anything more than a broken toy.

Elena looked momentarily confused as Donny stood up in front of Rasalus and opened her mouth to ask what he was doing. She closed it with a barely audible click as he sat back down and announced that Salus was broken. Shrugging it off, the girl admired Donny's wings as he stretched them out, looking quite entranced by the starry feathers.

"Mum went shopping for boring stuff," Elena explained. "I didn't want to go with. She's going to come back and get me when she goes to the bookstore." Elena glanced at Donny curiously. "Why are you out here?"

Donny grinned at the question. "Donny is a big boy. Donny lives alone because mommy and squishee left him with other people. This is my friend, Freya. He comes with me and we go wherever we want!" He rose his arms up high at this, as if trying to indicate the entire world, his playground.

Freya snorted softly as he was introduced, giving the girl a grin that horses truly shouldn't be able to give. In a rumble of a voice he greeted her. "Hello, small one." He bent his head softly at her, before snapping it up again, once more grinning. Donny watched his pegasi greet Elena, and giggled softly. The horse acted so frightfully amusing sometimes.

Turning back to Elena, Donny smiled brightly. "Today, Donny going to go flying with Freya, all day long!"

Maybe her mother's skeptical nature had rubbed off on the girl, but something about what Donny said didn't quite ring true. Shrugging it off as no business of hers, Elena looked only a little startled when Freya spoke. "Hello," she said in reply, with a regal nod of her head.

"Sounds fun," Elena said wistfully. "I wish I could fly." Further conversation was stopped when Rasalus canted himself to the side and floated down in front of Elena.

"Mistress, your mother is waiting for us," the Fandangle said, loading the word mother with disdain. Elena looked disappointed, but hopped off the bench, pulling her book with her.

"I guess we have to go. Bye Donny," the Tale said regretfully, waving farewell to the shiny boy and his pegasi. "Hope we see each other again!" she called over her shoulder as the pair left the park.