Welcome to Gaia! ::

[x] Arrivals and introductions

[x] Mingling and the like

[x] Promotions and Clowns

[x] Explanations and Explosions

[x] Tricks and Trademakers

[x] Endings and Spendings

Reserved

“Isn’t it nice out Tango?” May smiled her arms reaching for the sky in a lazy stretch. The young journalist listened half heartedly for a reply she didn’t really expect. It had been awkward to have a young boy sleeping in her house, not to mention that the young boy could be claimed as her son.

All throughout the night May had desperately attempted to start a conversation with the boy, however it seemed all one sided as he gave her an occasional glare, but for the most part ignoring her presence all together. If she hadn’t of heard his lonely ‘hi’ when he was first born she would have taken the boy for a mute.

The oddness of the situation only increased when she noticed the next morning that he had promptly stolen her favorite band shirt and was walking around the house in it as if it was his in the first place. Not knowing how to react, she merely told him he could keep it. There was no thank you.

Pulling down on the hem of her shirt, May stifled a sigh. It wasn’t exactly the most pleasant feeling having green eyes bore into your back. She was actually waiting for a small flame to burn into her shirt from the intensity of it all. “Yes.” She concluded to herself. “Its very nice.”

“My sister is visiting soon.” She informed, gratified when he picked up his pace a little to catch up to her, his eyes now trained on her face opposed to glaring at her back. “So we’re gonna get some flowers. You don’t mind do you?”

Silent once again reigned supreme and she actually let out the sigh this time. “Look, the shops right here.” She pointed out smiling softly, opening the door to allow the boy in first.



Tango huffed silently, brooding a little, but walked into the shop never the less. He was quickly followed by May who smiled at the woman behind the register. She had just about opened her mouth to excuse the mess, if for no other reason then to put the other woman at ease when a familiar voice rang through the air.

May’s brows wrinkled as she tried to place a name with a face, but to no such avail. Instead she watched amusedly as a woman came out with children clinging to her. “See.” She whispered playfully towards Tango. “That’s how a kid should be.” Silence was once more her answer as the boy looked at her bored.

It was only upon the introduction however that it all finally clicked. May let out an amused chuckle and stared at the girl before her. “Welcome to the May? Gee Crystal I knew you had fun and all- but naming a store after me? Isn’t that a bit much?”



“Well, its good to see that I leave such a lasting impression.” May jested back, beaming. “If I recall properly, I never got that promised-“ She cut herself off shaking her head, smirking. She figured the other would pick up on what she meant. The journalist watched with nothing short of amusement as her friend bent down towards Tango, who promptly leaned back a bit attempting to get away from her.

“His name’s Tango.” She smiled happily before suddenly becoming serious. She placed a gentle hand on the boy’s head, who in turn looked up at her agitatedly, before glancing back at the woman in front of him. “He’s like the boy from the masquerade.” She informed softly.

However, her joyful demeanor quickly returned at the children’s comment and she watched as Tango shifted almost uncomfortably at the girl’s compliment. The boy merely raised a hand in greeting, opting to not speak. May however was full of words herself. “Pleasure to meet you Edward, Veronica!” She chirped. “My, that’s a dashing dress Veronica. I’d like one just like it, mind telling me where you got it?” She turned her attention to the boy then. “And you’re rather dashing yourself Edward.”

“And its an honor to meet you, as well, Ms. Rose.” May spoke nodding in her direction before once more turning to Crystal. “Actually, no. I was just checking out the shop with my namesake.” May shrugged, raising an eyebrow at the girl a smirk playing on her face.

The hubbub, the scent of newness, of work and toil – an extra building had sprung up on the street like a flower ready for the sun; ironic that, since it was cozily attached to a flower shop in the first place. Mary blocked her eyes from the sun that swam before her vision and peered across the block.

She had been apprehensive in returning to the park with her boy-king in tow after the last stint he had pulled. He had become a sort of nuisance to the other mothers that frequented the area, a name spoken of tersely behind hands and passed from ear to ear. Mary had been approached about the ‘wild boy’ one too many times, and though she had apologized profusely in accordance to her, ah, son’s actions the hens had gone on to murmur under the shade of the park’s trees about her lack of parenting skills.

Amahté was as pleased as Punch regardless.

He regarded the street with a look of hungry boredom, fingering the earring that hung from his ear. He switched his eyes upwards to his plump caretaker and lifted his entire face in query, “Where are we?”

Mary offered a faltering smile and held out her hand for him to take; he promptly ignored it and headed across the street.

“Well…” she huffed, padding after him, her footfalls echoing his tiny ones. “I found this little flier in that store down the street, and um, I thought it’d be nice…to check it out.”

The truth was that she hadn’t exactly told him that they’d been ‘banned’ from the park for the time being, and she really did hate the idea of keeping a child cooped up indoors when the weather was so nice; especially this child, who could shoot daggers from his eyes when he was feeling particularly persnickety. Mary had kept the truth from him – she told herself – so that he wouldn’t feel bad. After all, he was but a child.

But she knew the truth deep down inside; she’d rather keep silent than feel his inevitable wrath at their rejection.

Amahté paused in front of the The Gilded Lily’s door expectantly, hands tucked under his arms. Mary hurried to open it for the both of them and peeked inside.

“Oh…how pretty…”



May nodded, a smirk coming to her lips. “I think the summer festivals will do just fine. I wonder if we could even find Sommer?” For his part Tango frowned a little. His green eyes shifted almost skyward attempting to look at the orange and red strands, only to give up when he realized the notion was pointless. That was the second time in two days that someone had complimented his hair. He had just parted his lips, much to May’s pleasure, when the bell behind them rung.

May squealed softly surprised at the noise, not noticing someone was behind her. Jumping a little she glanced back down at Tango, who’s eyes had narrowed slightly and closed his mouth. She let out a heavy sigh, figuring she should have known better and placed a hand on his shoulder ushering him forward some to get out of the new customers’ way.

Tango watched with bored emerald orbs before letting out a silent yawn, his eyes drooping ever so slightly. Stretching, now apparently tired of this scene, he slinked out of the immediate area to find a place where he could get a quick nap.

May frowned a little at the shops name. “Changing it already? I was just getting used to it.” She pouted playfully before smiling and waving at the two before her. “Hiya!”

Amahté was all but pleased. His eyes flicked around, nose curling at the lingering scent of flowers as if it overpowered the room and made him sick. Fingers brushed his shoulder and he instinctively jerked away, finally stepping into the shop to allow Mary enough room to come in behind him. Despite his scowl, his guardian couldn’t have looked more appreciative, hands clasped in childish glee. However, when she was greeted, her face fell, a hand coming to her mouth.

“Oh! Hullo…I’m not interrupting anything, am I?” she asked quickly; the familial atmosphere of the shop made her feel as though she had walked in on a matter of kin. “I just assumed it was open, so…I’m very sorry!”

She gave an apologetic giggle, brows knitting. If Amahté had been anyone else, he’d have smacked his forehead.

“Tell me, Mary. Does it look closed?” he asked coldly.

“Well, no, but—“

“Well then, it isn’t.”

“Yes, but –“

“No..” He finally turned to look up at the young woman, tiredly, as if he were explaining a very difficult theorem to a very idiotic person. “You assume and apologize much too frequently, and your voice is giving me a headache.”

And with that the little boy ventured farther into the shop, turning his back on the woman at the door.

Mary seemed to flounder where she stood, teetering the line between keeping silent and apologizing once again. Her eyes swept the floor and came back up, and any means to make amends died upon her lips; she knew why Amahté was spoken of so derisively, but she never questioned stepping up in his defense. There was a backbone in her somewhere, and it hoped dourly for some form of gratification on his part. Not now, but someday.

She unfolded the paper in her hands and smiled her worry away, “I just found this flier in a shop down the street, so I thought I’d come and take a look. Curiosity killed the cat and everything.” Mary beamed and glanced down at the paper again.

“I haven’t been in a flower shop since…” Her voice faltered and she laughed, waving a hand; something flashed briefly. “It’s all so lovely!”



May stared at the boy for a moment, and suddenly was instantly grateful for Tango’s demeanor. He may have been silent, but at least he wasn’t condescending towards her. She smiled as the flier was shown and gave a small wave to them both, before pointing in the direction Tango had disappeared to. “While you help…Mrs. Mary here, I’m going to go take a peak at the flowers. Mmkay?” She did still want to pick up a batch for her sister.

Slipping away she fumbled through the flowers, stopping to sniff each kind that caught her eye, a silly grin plastered on her face. She wanted forget-me-nots. They seemed to best fit the situation. …now if only she knew what they looked like.

Tango yawned once more before finding a decent space of open wall. Sliding down the length of it until his bottom touched the ground he leaned his head back against it and moved to close his eyes. When he heard the patter of other feet however, he opened his eyes to see the girl- veronica- inching towards him. He stared at her unblinking with his emerald orbs. Hes stare was unwavering but not all unfriendly. He was merely attempting to see what she would be doing next, after all the bald kid did seem pretty snappy.

As Amahté passed the rows of flowers, fingering the crisp and waxy petals, he began to systematically pull a few colorful pads from each one to scatter on the floor. His brows were a line across his brow, face lax in complete and utter boredom. When Mary had said ‘Let’s go out’ he hadn’t suspected going to a flower shop. Really! What interest could flowers hold for him?

Call it karma when his finger caught on a particularly nasty rose bramble; he cursed profusely and tore his hand away, sticking the digit in his mouth. When he turned, he stared openly at the other two children who eyed him candidly.

“What?” he snapped, voice pitching upwards childishly. Was he some spectacle to be ogled? His thoughts paused.

Why, yes. Yes he was.

“Not everyday you get to see royalty, huh?” he sniffed petulantly.

Mary held her hands up, giggling, “Please call me Mary. ‘Lady’ is title used for women of status! I’m nothing like that!” From across the room came a snort of agreement from the Spiced Apple child.

She didn’t mind Crystal’s brusqueness at all, and was at once cheered by it; lord only knew she herself would have tiptoed around the subject cautiously. A job wasn’t really necessary, but it’d be a nice distraction. Then again she had to wonder about the Scent’s presence – would his allowance be accepted?

She glanced back at the boy, who gave her a resolute glance before looking away.

“I’m here for work!” she chirped. There was a sort of choking yelp on Amahté’s part.

What was she thinking?



Tango watched as she played with her dress and stared at her toes before heaving out a sigh. A yawn followed suit as he stretched lazily before turning his full attention on the girl once more. He honestly did like the idea of the girl liking his company more so then the twerp over there, and as such decided to make the best of the situation.

“Veronica, right?” He questioned his own memory. “Nice name. I’m Tango.” But then, May already took care of that part for me he added with a mental sneer. “How old are you?” Really, that was the best he could come up with. He wanted to shake his head at himself, but withheld the action.

May scurried around the flowers, not really picking any, but stopping every now and then and a pretty one and taking a whiff of it. It really did make sense that Crystal would work in a flower shop, it just matched her personality. Such an eloquent woman.

Speaking of which, May chanced a glance over the flowers near her to look at said girl and her company. Curiosity sedated, she moved back to her flower searching, promptly moving further away from Amahté as he rambled on about being Royalty.

"Yes, royalty. I didn't stutter." Amahté raised his nose and looked away again, only taking a step down the aisle of flowers before he stopped again. Did this boy really doubt him? Either he was very foolish, or very brave to question HIS motives! The Scent crossed his arms, eyes squinting shut.

"I can and will do as I please," he returned, his high voice edged. “I don't need to answer questions of those below me!"

He briefly considered his thoughts, and more because he liked the sound of his own voice he continued, "A king - no, a GOD! must come out to greet his subjects, right?" - he spread his hands in a manner ill fitting of a child - “It raises morale!"

Mary tried her hardest to keep her focus on both Crystal and her unruly Scent, but there was difficulty in such a task; in the end she opted for the former, though did wince every so often when the little Egyptian's voice rose to a feverish pitch. The smile she returned to the young woman opposite faltered, and again - thanks to her subconscious - her eyes darted towards Amahté before settling on Crystal. She wanted a job, focus, focus! She licked her drying lips and did her best to ignore the boy with whom ruckus followed and waited upon hand and foot.

"It's a pleasure to meet the both of you!" she nodded, turning towards Rose with to return her friendly gesture. They seemed exceptionally kind, but Amahté did not help her image - it was true that she wasn't in dire need of a job, but she would sorely like to have one to kill the time and to hopefully entertain the boy, but so far...

Oh, he wasn't helping her image at all! She could feel the beginnings of panic p***k the tips of her fingers.

"I wouldn't mind either - this place seems so pleasant, I wouldn't care where you'd put me to work!" Mary laughed gently and pressed her hand to her lips; it was easy to see that she appeared a bit stressed. Soon she felt she'd begin chattering incessantly.

Gravitating towards the counter where the application was set out, she felt a surge of affection. It was such a simple sheaf of paper, as if trusting her from the get-go. As she fished for a writing utensil to fill it out with, her gaze darted between mother and daughter.

"I'd gladly juggle both, if you'd have me of course!" Another cursory glance downwards had her laughing.

"Favorite flower!" She sounded delighted, and one a pen was acquired, hastily scrawled out in slanting cursive: sunflower.

"I thought you said we were beneath you?" Edward challenged, still frowning in doubt. Certainly, the boy looked as though he stepped out of a storybook, but Edward's affections were not so easily swayed. Well...they were, but Amahté would have to do more than put him in his place! Heck, he had a mother that could do that!

Veronica lowered her eyes again, looking at Tango from the corner of them with a small smile. "Hi Tango-h," she murmured in her soft voice. "I like your name more than mine. Cousin Crystal calls me Rica, you can too if you want." Her words were gentle and halting, as if she had to think about them before they left her little lips. She shyly held out her hand, five little fingers waggling in the air. "I'm five," she said with a little more authority...at least, as much as her gentle and wispy voice could manage. "How old are you, Tango-h?"

"Sunflower?" Rose crowed with delight. "Open, honest, frank, sweet and brightens any room." She looked over her glasses at Mary, then at Amahté, before settling on the older woman. "You know, Crystal was more of a handful at that age--"

"Mother!"

"--so don't you fret none over him. If you need a job, you've got one here now. I'll switch you between the stores depending on how busy it is, so! When can you start?" The red-headed matron smiled grandly at Mary, as though she had just informed the woman she'd won a large sum of money rather than a job at a family-owned flower shop. Everyone had to start somewhere!

Crystal looked a little horrified at her mother's claims, but quickly regained her composure, smiling widely at Mary. "Welcome! I'm so glad to have you with us. I do hope you'll enjoy it here." She was earnestly grateful to have the help, especially from a woman who was as kind and sweet as Mary - just as her flower of choice, she seemed to be an honest and open person. Really, it's the only type of personality that would survive in a place like this.

“Alright. Rica.” He confirmed with a nod of his head, stretching out his legs lazily a yawn passing his lips. Staring at the girl through half lidded eyes, he could only take in her age and her question in with thought. How old was he, exactly? Rica was 5, May was 23, he was…he was…

A frown etched its way across his face. “I don’t know.” He answered truthfully, adding a careless shrug at the end. Really, he didn’t even know if ‘5’ was older then he was or not. Well, she had been on Midori certainly longer then he had, there was no question about that. But he himself appeared to be older then her.

Being a scent, was apparently, a confusing matter.

Deciding to advert his thoughts he motioned to the boy with his head. “How old is the other kid? He your brother?” It was certinaly more entertaining to talk to a younger girl like Rica than older people like May.

Amahté faltered internally, but still had the grace to keep his outward composure. Between glaring impudently at the other boy and trying to divert his attentions elsewhere, he found himself torn. After a brief spell he flippantly turned away from Edward with a loud sigh, and as though speaking to someone very slow, formed an answer.

"Yes, but still...it's good to observe my subjects in their daily lives. No matter how..." His nose curled as he cast a disdainful look around the shop. "Simple and plain. You see, that's what a good king would do. Just the other day I went to the park for the same reason, of course!"

He flicked a flower carelessly and gave a lofty 'hum', "They were honored."

Rose's frankness for her small 'situation' seemed to relieve and amuse her all at once. The stress she felt pressuring her shoulders was relieved - even if it was for a minute - and Mary laughed aloud, truly, for the first time. Yes, working for these benevolent people would do her some good, this she was sure of! And perhaps they would be a breath of fresh air to Amahté as well, if they would be so kind as to accept his presence as well as hers. Rose and Crystal, she noted with naive sort of envy, were so much stronger than her.

She only prayed it would rub off!

With a brightened face and a lighter mood, she clasped her hands and filled out the rest of the form.

"I can work whenever you'll have me! I don't do much at home except sit around and play my piano. I can't say that I don't enjoy it, that'd be a bold faced lie, but I've just been cooped up and everything..." she crossed her t's and dotted her i's and pushed the paper forward. "I just hope I don't screw up!" - she leaned once towards Rose, and then towards Crystal with a bit of conspiratorial embarrassment - "I'm a bit of a clutz..."

Mary giggled impishly, looking all the while like a child.

The young boy barely refrained from rolling his eyes. "Forgive me for wasting your time," Edward huffed indignantly before stomping off towards the mostly finished café, going about picking up some tools and loose nails as though the job were far more interesting than arguing with Amahté. It didn't stop him from glancing over his shoulder with curiosity, betraying his own flippant demeanor as interest.

"Tango-h looks like Edward. Edward is..." She studied her hands, lowering each of her splayed fingers as she counted them off. "Eight." She held up eight fingers, smiling brightly at the reclusive boy as some of her shyness wore away, "Edward is eight. He's my big brother." At her tender age, she still very much loved her older brother, not yet exposed to the fights that would surely occur later on down the line. "He's very smart. I bet you are too." The girl's smile was a winning one; she rather liked Tango.

The matron took the application with a warm smile, nodding her approval. "Don't you worry one bit, Mary," she said kindly as she reviewed the paper, "life is made of accidents, hmm? I'd like to think so anyway." Rose chuckled as though sharing a private joke with herself, adding, "The café should be open tomorrow. Regardless, you can come in at ten if you're so inclined, and we'll start you out here. That way, the café will be new to all of us."

"We can look out for each other," Crystal offered with a sheepish grin, "I'm a bit of a clutz myself when it comes to anything but flowers. So long as you enjoy yourself and share that smile with our customers, you'll do just fine." The flower girl was more than a little excited to have someone else around, especially with something as new and different as the café and the business it would bring. Perhaps her folly would benefit many after all!

Eight seemed like as well of an age as any other, so he gave the girl a nod. Tango watched as the boy in question, Edward as it would seem, turned and went to work with the tools and nails. Shrugging it off, he turned back to the girl.

The feelings were defiantly mutual. He liked the way Rica seemed to take a liking to him, and as such he took a liking to her. “Is he now?” He asked finally sitting more up right. His fingers interlaced with themselves, before finding their way to the back of his head, making a pillow for himself. “He looks smart.” He humored, not really sure from lack of interaction.

“I guess I’m okay.” He responded to his own intellect. He really didn’t have much to compare himself too. Just Pollux, and that boy was far too hyper and insanely giddy to have a chance to show much intelligence. If his royal highness over there was any sign of intelligence, well then, he supposed he wasn’t exactly lacking any marbles.

At the girl’s smile, Tango smirked himself, and scooted a bit closer to her, dropping his arms to the side and lightly tapping the girl in the back of the head, once, twice, three times. All the while, his smirk grew into a coy grin, as he rolled his eyes and turned his head away from her. It was an ever so slight (but still, unique to himself) sign of affection. Ah yes, him and the girl could get along real well.

A small smirk curled the young boy's lips as though he were sharing in some private joke as he turned away in silence, neither snubbing Edward nor showing much interest in his stuffy departure (for once). He swept away down the line of flowers and headed towards the door, idling there with his gaze fastened on Mary's back. The sooner she shut her trap, the sooner he'd be out of this trap; ugh, he was feeling claustrophobic already.

Mary folded her arms behind her back and teetered upon her feet, listening intently to Rose. To have something to do, to have something to keep her busy - yes, this was what she needed. Amahté needed the exposure as well, and she could only pray that he would take to it as she had already. Maybe by being around Rose and Crystal, around those children and the constancy of people milling in and out and about would change his attitude for the better. Feeling a prickling tickle the back of her neck, she craned around and looked behind her only to find said child glowering at her, bemused. She spun and smiled warmly at Crystal.

"Thank you so much. I really can't wait to get started – you have no idea how much this means to me!” She bit her lower lip as the Scent behind her gave a small huff, and she laughed, motioning towards him.

“I should get going as it were. I’ll see you bright and early tomorrow!” Mary skipped backwards and met Amahté at the door, grabbing his hand in her delight; she turned and waved her hand in goodbye to those left in the shop, and plunged back out into the street, leaving with the scent of flowers and the untried shop in her wake.

A distinct ‘WHAT’ sounded halfway down the street.

Apparently Amahte was not as pleased with the news as Mary was.


Victoria giggled a little at the strange but earnest show of kindness, tilting her head back against the wall to see just what Tango was doing. While she couldn't quite reach his head as easily as he reached hers, she returned the favor with what she thought was a few friendly pats on his arm. Of course, the girl was still a little shy, especially after he scooted closer, so the touch was no more than the brush of butterfly wings. The girl rolled her feet back and forth, pleased, asking, "So what is Tango-h here for? Is your mommy gonna get flowars?"

Crystal laughed delightedly and waved as Mary left, a little surprised that she was eager enough to start as soon as the next day! How grand! She glanced to her mother, who had already gone back to pruning a minature rose with a knowing smile; her grey eyes then turned to Edward as he brushed by her to glance out the front of the shop, watching the retreat of royalty. The flower girl smiled a little, bemused; it was going to be quite the circus this summer.

"I hope we're treating your customers satisfactory," she remarked as she walked back towards May, her smile turning into a fond grin. "We have to hire extra help just to keep up with the demand." Crystal chucked, looking over the flowers her friend had chosen with mild curiosity.

May, who had been up to this point, fondly gazing at flowers, faltered slightly at the sound of the other woman’s voice. She offered a wide smile and a small nod of her head to indicate she was both listening, and that she was over all happy. Turning her gaze to Tango she watched him interact with the young girl of the shop, making a mental note to come visit again so that he could see his new “friend”. Lord knows he needed some.

Finally she reached out and picked up a batch of the flowers she had been staring at before smiling once more, this time towards Crystal. “I’d like these, please.”

Tango watched as the girl patted his arm and nodded in approval. “Aa.” With the affirmative sound, the boy stood up and briefly dusted off his backside before looking back at the girl. “It would seem as though May is done. It was a pleasure...” He paused, his brow furrowing, contemplating something. Finally he nodded his head slightly, in a mock bow, before adding “Lady Rica.”

If she’d be working with a pain in the bottom for “royalty” mind as well give her little self a title that she could flaunt. Sure- he was sure as she grew others would call her it, but well, mind as well have some fun as a child.

Crystal feigned shock. "Anything for our lovely owner," she replied with a wide smile, glancing over the flowers and giving a curt nod of her head. "I'll take care of you over here, madam." She hadn't been so playful since the Masquerade, but it seemed May brought that out in the quiet and reserved mouse of a woman. The flower girl tallied the flowers and, with a hearty discount bordering on obsurd, gave the total to May.

The girl scrambled to her feet as Tango stood, also brushing her bottom off (but more to mimic the boy than doing it out of cleansliness). With a delighted giggle, the girl did something between a bow and a curtsey, quipping, "Thank you, Mister Lord Tango-h." She beamed brightly at the boy, "Come again soon!"

The shopping mall was no place to keep a free spirited girl like Calanthe. There was nothing to like about it in her opinion and the girl found herself trying to recall just what Lara had said in order to make her believe That this shopping trip could be anything close to actual ‘fun’
There where people everywhere, either walking too close or walking too slow. Clusters of teenagers laughed in that annoying way which drew the attention of every head, and the ‘ I hope you buy something’ smile on every clerk was way too fake.

“Can we go now Lara!” Whined a bored Calanthe, her voice adding to the chorus of coffee making, cash exchanging, metal on metal screeches as people pulled coat hangers back and forth on metal racks.
Nothing about this placed seemed appealing to Calanthe, oh yeah, walking around in circles for an hour inside an enclosed building! What was fun about that?

“We’re here looking for new clothes Callie. Unless you want to always wear that same plain white dress every day of your life,” Lara rolled her eyes. Surely she had some idea of fashion right? She was a girl after all. Maybe she would find something in one of the various clothing outlets located in the store.
“Umm… Do you want to look in that one there? I think it will have some dresses that fit! And just look at how pretty they are,’

Lara rushed over to point out the white and red polka dot shirt with puff sleeves. It was on a mannequin which wore the shirt with bell bottom black jeans. It wasn’t too bad really. But Calanthe stuck her tongue and blew a raspberry in her disliking for the garment. The winged guardian sighed, let go off the shirt and went back to Calanthe. “Next store I suppose?”

Tango rarely spoke to May. Matter of fact, from the moment he was born he had only said hi. And that wasn’t even to her, but to Carrie. However, it seemed drastic measures were needed to be taken, as the thick headed woman didn’t seem to get the hint that there was nothing more boring then shopping for 3 days in a row. “Why are we here?” He hissed out, glaring daggers at the woman dubbed his mother. May glanced back, a blank, clueless expression on her face, which prompted Tango to huff and roll his eyes.

The meaning behind the words were, however, lost as the woman seemed baffled and overcome with joy that the boy had actually spoken. “Tango!” She cooed out “You spoke!” He shook his head agitatedly and shoved his hands in his pocket. He had enough of her random babbles and with a brisk change in speeds set off to find someplace that sold food. Maybe something to eat might make the trip just a tad bit better.

Calanthe followed dejectedly behind her mother, who to say the least, seemed much more excited about shopping for Callie’s new wardrobe than she was.
He arm were folded across her chest and Callie’s mouth set stubbornly into an ‘I hate this, take me home’ pout. Store, after store, after store. They all sold the same thing in her eyes. Shirts, shorts, accessories. Selection? There was no selection.

Lara turned around to the girl with another outfit, this time it was a bit more sporty. Maybe she was into more tomboy clothes than pretty things. But her hopes were dashed in an instant when, before she could even present the outfit properly, Calanthe was vigorously shaking her head again. Such a picky thing. Well whether Calanthe likes it or not. That girl was going home with a new stack of clothes to hang in that closest of hers.

“My feat hurt and I’m tired. It’s past twelve and you haven’t fed me yet Lara,”
Callie, stopped Lara from walking when she sat down on one of those random seats they placed in stores. The pair stood looking at each other for a moment before Lara sat down next to Calanthe.
“I just thought I could do something nice for you Callie. Used this as a chance to find out what you like,”
“How will picking out an outfit tell you what I like?” Calanthe made a face, clearly believing her guardian to be deluded in thinking that way.
“Well if you picked out a nice frilly dress for example… I would know you’re into girlie things like dolls and tea parties and stuff. But if you likes shorts and tennis shoes. I could get you into more active things,"

Calanthe contemplated this for a moment. How cute she looked thinking away like that. Lara smiled waiting on her decision.
“We need to eat,”
Wow. That definitely wasn’t the brilliant conclusion she was hopping for.
Calanthe got up and began walking in the direction she had come from towards the food court.

May sighed in irritation but allowed the boy to lead the way. It was amazing to her how the boy always seemed to be hungry and yet would rather laze around and do nothing then burn it off. She was almost positive he’d be a little fatty when he grew up. Not that he’d listen much to her if she told him such.

Entering the food court area she watched as he glanced around thoughtfully before turning to her and holding his hand out. “Hm?” She questioned, not understanding. Gently she placed her hand in his, assuming the boy wanted to hold it, given that he was still young despite how he acted. Instantly however he dropped her hand with a roll of his eyes before pulling it up again. A frown marred her expression before he sighed.

“Money?” He asked and watched with amusement as May took her turn to roll her eyes. He loved getting on her nerves, there was something about it that just made it all worth the while. It drove her nuts that he rarely talked to her, and now that he was he was merely demanding money. It wasn’t that he disliked the woman, no, he found her more amusing then not. Though her shopping habits were a tad bit annoying.

“What are you going to get?” She questioned, her head cocking to the side as she stared down the shops before them.

“Coffee.” He replied blandly pointing a finger at a nearby star bucks.

“Coffee?” She repeated staring at him oddly. “Aren’t you a bit young? Lets have something else. Look—see that store right there? They have smoothies. Lets get one.”

Rolling his eyes skyward once more he gave a nod before following the journalist to stand in line. Whatever, it was still better then nothing.

Calanthe had been the initial one who opted for smoothies. She was never really a fast food type person, preferring something fresh over grease and bad wrapping.
“You’ll be alright to wait in line by yourself right Callie?” Lara stood besides the young girl as Calanthe made her decision on what to drink.
“I’ll be fine! It’s just a smoothie after all,”
Lara handed over the money, giving the girl a rather generous sum, before pointing out a table and heading over to the Mexican store across the way.

Calanthe turned to take her place in line, just in time to see the spot she was going to take become filled by a girl and possibley a younger brother maybe. The young woman was the older of the two, and her companion was a little boy around her own age. Calanthe crossed her arms, annoyed with how they could just walk up and take her place. Not that it was technically her spot, but it her mind it had been, which was more than enough for her. She scowled at them heavily, it was their fault after all, falling in line behind them dejectedly.

He could feel it. And it was bothering him. He turned on his heel, his emerald and yellow flecked eyes staring at the girl behind him. Sure enough, as he thought, he could feel her eyes boring into his back, as if he had done something wrong.

Surprised, he crossed his arms over his chest and raised an eye brow at the girl. The look of ‘what-the-hell-do-you-want’ etched itself on his face. He didn’t find any desire in him to dignify the girl by asking her what she wanted. Really, if she was the one with the problem with him, she could bring it up.

“Tango?”

The voice from beside him broke his concentration for just a moment, and he spared May a sidelong glance before looking back at the girl dawned in a white dress.

Calanthe’s eye flicked between the older girl and the other boy. He stared at her in annoyance and she could clearly read his expression, even if he did not say anything.
The female however, seemed not to notice at all the occurrence of information that passed between the younger and herself. She heard as the woman called a name. ‘Tango’ So that was the name of this kid eh? Kinda strange. She wondered if he got teased about it. Tango, Rango, Sango, Mango,-
Mango! Yes! Any kid who’s name rhymed with mango had to be tortured.

She noticed the side glance Tango sent her. Clearly he had not wanted her to do that. It only made her laugh more, inside that was. She was too angry at him to say anything. He didn’t speak, neither did she.
She nodded politely at the female though, no need to bring her into the silent argument.

May watched as the younger girl gave a nod and a large smile spread across her face as a result. “Oh! Tango, do you know her? Is she a friend of yours?” May questions, placing an affectionate hand on Tango’s shoulder.

The boy shrugged off the hand irritated with her before rolling his eyes. “No, I don’t know her. Just a twerp with staring issues.” He responded before turning back around in the line, hoping his ‘mother’ would do the same.

May said nothing, but gave an apologetic look at the younger girl, a lilt smile still placed on her lips. She turned a little, standing off to the side between the two children, able to see both.

Her turned his back the little brat turned his back, on her! What, how unspeakable. That just wasn’t right! Silently she fumed for a moment, until getting herself mostly under control.
At least his companion seemed lovely, and she was pretty too.

“I’m really not a twerp,” She said trying to defend herself to the woman. “It’s just, I was a little annoyed that you seemed to get in line right where I was going to. You beat me to it,” She tried to hide the annoyance in her, failing miserably. At least she was trying for the lady who appeared nice, she would never try at all for Tango.

“Oh. So it’s acceptable to be a pest when someone happens to get inline before you? I see. I’ll attempt to remember this tidbit of info on manners. “

“Tango!” May hissed. Apparently, when Tango talked, he liked to make a pest of himself. This was good to note. Maybe she’ll have to cage him inside the house and never let him out, if this was how he was going to react. Still– she’d prefer his petulance over the clown monster of a child. Turning her attention to the...lovely, smelling child before her, she smiled. “Well, if that’s the case, would you like to get ahead of us? We don’t even know what we want just yet.”

“No! Don’t let her cut. Stick it to the man, May!”

“Tango! What is your problem ?!”

He pressed his palms flat against the glass door, pushing on it until the opened. A bell somewhere above the door jingled to life, and he couldn’t keep the smirk from his face. Even the entrance was musical.

While the boy had originally had one of the world’s biggest disdains for shopping, when he discovered the small music store while shopping with May, he fell in love. The store quickly became his favorite place to hide out and was constantly ducking in and checking out the instruments. May had even, oh so graciously gotten him an instructor for one instrument of his choice.

The smirk twitched and grew into a grin as he made his way towards the back of the store where said objects where sitting on the floor and hanging on the walls. He walked briskly past the Stratocasters and Telecasters, stopping only briefly when a particular black telecaster caught his attention. But never the less, he moved on and smiled more to himself then anyone else as he came upon the acoustics. More specifically the twelve strings.

He fingered the strings of one delicately before sitting on a nearby stool his feet settling on the ring just above the ends of the legs, the guitar sitting in his lap. His fingers moved to pick at the strings, his slender fingers moving up and down the neck creating random chords.

He was far from great, hell he could only play some of the easiest songs, and he was certainly a lifetime away from his teacher. But regardless it was a hobby he relished in and thusly, he gladly handed himself over to the guitar sitting in his lap, lightly pulling the chords together to form a song he had learned but a week ago.

Vanyel looked at the piece of paper in her hands and then up at the sign that hung above the music store, before once more looking at the paper. It looked like it was the place, but why the hell did Kitten want her to pick up stuff here. More importantly, when had Vanyel become Kitten's personal slave? The scent was not pleased. It seemed that every day Kitten asked her to do her a favor of some sort. Run to the store and get dinner, run to the book store and get me this book, run here, run there. Not that Vanyel didn't enjoy meeting new people and doing new things, but she was getting a little fed up with the fact that her caretaker wasn't doing anything on her own.

Kitten had been working very hard on her studies though as well as attempting to take in far more work than she could manage from her job. Not that she was going to complain; Kitten was loving the job!

Finally, and with a heavy sigh, Vanyel pushed her way into the music store, jumping slightly at the sound of the bell going off. Curse those little alerts that told the rest of the store when someone was coming in! No matter what they were they always scared her!

A guitar could be heard somewhere in the background, but she didn't care to investigate. She was to pick up a book about the history of Japanese music, a gift from Kitten to her other 'daugher'. Vanyel began to scan the shelves, not sure exactly what the book was called but sure she'd know which it was when she saw it. Sooner than she though, Vanyel found herself just near the boy playing the guitar, though she still didn't bother to notice him.

The bell ringing from the front of the store was drowned out between the imaginary piano accompany, and the music his fingers and the strings beneath them produced. His eyes were set downcast on the neck, watching as his fingers danced on the frets. Am7… D7…that’s it.

Soon he was even lending his voice to his music. Ever so softly, so as not to be heard, his whispered out the lyrics. “I come fresh from the streets, fast on my feet. Kinda crass and corny, ” He could faintly hear the person behind the counter talking idly to a customer and he forced himself to ignore the noise as his emerald eyes lid shut, his foot tapping slightly on its perch to the beat of the music. He smirked to himself around his words, knowing May had told him to avoid singing this particular version of the song. But if it was the original, why would he change it? He didn’t exactly get what was so wrong about it, but if it annoyed May he was perfectly fine with it. “Not much meat on my bones, and a whole lot alone, and more than a little bit hor-“

The lyrics caught in is throat and his fingers still on the strings when his eyes had opened and came in contact with an older girl not that far from him. Heat rushed to his face and he adverted his eyes away from her. Oh god, he had been caught singing. He didn’t even talk to most people and this person was there while he was-

Well he was whispering wasn’t he? He set his face in a firm scowl, deciding the other girl was in wrong and not him he turned his back to her huffing indigently hoping she would leave soon so he could go back to playing.

Vanyel hadn't even noticed the boy sitting there, let alone heard him singing as absorbed within her own thoughts and search was she! This damned book was escaping her, she knew it. It had to be somewhere on these shelves because Kitten had promised she'd called the store to make sure they had it. The idiot woman hadn't asked them to hold onto it for her, but it had taken Vanyel less than an hour to get over here and seeing how empty the music store basically was she had a feeling someone hadn't bought the one book she needed in that small amount of time. It was just unreasonable to let her mind jump to such a conclusion.

Turning a bit to make for another shelf of book she finally spotted him, the boy with his back to her and holding a guitar. Well, she'd never been in a place like this before so who could really blame her when she stepped up to him, tapped him on the shoulder and asked calmly, "I'm looking for your selection of books based on the history of a culture's music. Namely I'm looking for the musical history of Japan. Where could I find such a thing?"

Even if the boy didn't work at the shop, he seemed like he fit in there well, with the guitar and all, so perhaps that ment he was a regular there and thus all the same knew where she could find what she was looking for. She only hoped that he could lead her in the right direction. Poor Vanyel, not even knowing the boy was upset with her because he thought she'd heard something she didn't.

To say he was flustered was an understatement and when he felt a tap on his shoulder’s his back went rigid and tense. Never the less he listened to her question with open ears before spinning slightly on his stool and scowling further before standing up. Placing the guitar back on the rack where he found it before he turned back to the orange girl. He sucked in a breath, ready to give a deep sigh of resignation when the strong scent of citrus hit his nose.

Frowning a little he took a step closer to her, sniffing again, as if to be sure it was as he thought. Sure enough the scent still reigned supreme around the girl and he shook his head. She smelt stronger then the rest of them did, and she certainly looked older. Maybe she just had really odd taste in bathing soaps. Deciding he’d rather not risk randomly blurting out he was oil to some stranger, he turned on his heel and with a quick hand gesture motioned for her to follow him as he disappeared down an aisle.

Truth was, he had no idea where the book was to be found. Just that all the weird stuff with the drawings for letters were down the aisle. And hey- he couldn’t read Japanese, Chinese, Twainese, Vietnamese, Koreanese (was that really a word? He wasn’t sure) , or whatever other kinda ‘ese’ there was out there. Hopefully the girl knew exactly what she was looking for.

Vanyel, bless her heart, didn't make note of the suddenly stern demeanor, nor did she think too far in depth about the boy sniffing at her as if she were some common dog. Whatever. If it got her her book in due time then it was worth it. The scent went to cross her arms against her chest to be, once again, thwarted by the bosom that had literally grown over night. As strange as it had been to go straight from gel cup to child, it had been equally strange to wake up one morning too big for ones clothes and with a rack that proved to be much more cumbersome than she'd originally assumed. At least she had the legs she'd always wanted though. On that thought she made a note to herself to see Arius as soon as possible.

The scent of oranges had indeed grown stronger and so she really couldn't be at fault when she didn't notice that the other smelled of mangos. How was she supposed to smell that over her own citrus aura, especially if she wasn't leanin` in all close and stuff just to smell him as he'd done.

When the boy took off without a word she pursed her lips into a small pout. Was he going to be anti-social the whole time she was there? How was she supposed to be pleasant if he kept acting like she was some terrible burden upon him. Then she realized she likely was a burden to him, and so with a sigh she said nothing and followed him down the aisle.

When he stopped infront of the oriental section she looked at all the books with a blank look, eyes slipping from one set of characters to the other until they turned to focus on the boy that had, more or less, unwillingly helped her. "Which one is Japanese?" she asked, unaware the poor kid didn't read any of those languages any more than she did.

Tango turned sharply to the girl, his bruised jaw going slack. She didn’t know? Oh dear, this posed a problem didn’t it?

Biting down on the inside of his cheek he turned his attention back to the books once more, scanning the odd symbols on each cover. “I-“ He started off dejectedly, but shook his head attempting again. “Your guess is about as good as mine.” His tone was one of disinterest, and he gave her a careless shrug of his shoulder. Regardless of his cold behavior, however, he tuned back to her his emerald eyes scanning hers “Do you know what it’s supposed to look like? The cover.” Maybe that would make things easier and he could get rid of the strong smelling girl sooner.

The girl shook her orange haired head with a shrug and a low sigh. Crap. Kitten couldn't have been worse in describing the book she was looking for and for that Kitten was getting the first thing Vanyel determined to be Japanese. Reaching up she pulled book after book half way off the shelf before pushing them back in with a soft snort. Finally she found one that said in small text under the title 'Japan's Musical History' and with a flourish of triumph she pulled it out and hugged it to her chest. Thank. God.

"Well. This is what she's getting whether or not she likes it," Vanyel chirped softly before holding out her hand to shake his in thanks. It felt awkward offering to shake a younger boy's hand but Vanyel enjoyed being polite, even if others didn't feel the same way. "Thank you so much for your help," she said with a warm smile, completely unawares as to how much the boy didn't want her around.

Despite himself, he let a low chuckle out at the girl’s words. It was pretty much how he acted, himself, whenever May set him about a task. When the girl offered her hand, Tango could only look down at it as if it was foreign for a moment before offering his own, giving her hand a firm shake. However, he didn’t let go right away, as if that would stop her from leaving before he could ask his question. He stared at her suspiciously. “Are you, by any chance, a scent?”

Letting go of her hand he crossed his arms over his chest, taking in the girl’s stronger scent. It was really the only plausible explanation he could think of, as to why she smelled so strong. That or the girl liked to bath in perfume or something. If that was the case, someone should really tell her. And he’d be more than willing to kindly inform the other, if that were the case.

For a fleeting moment, he wondered if the other older girl would think him insane. But in that same moment, he decided he could care less.

Shoulders were given a heave as she tugged them into shrugged position, rolling her eyes towards the ceiling in irritation, though it was clear she was irritated with someone other than the boy when she finally spoke, "If you mean am I a scent-baby then yea, but I'm not. I'm a scent-girl. I'm not a baby," Vanyel replied, lifting her brow as if to challenge the other to call her a scent-baby, especially since it was clear she was older than him.

Kitten and her stupid words. Sometimes Kitten would talk about when the girl had been nothing more than a, god, what was that awful word used to describe what she'd been before she was 'born'? Oh yea. Cupcup. The girl gave a slight shudder at the thought of her guardian's retarded vocabulary.

"Why do you ask? Have you met one of us before?" Silly girl, completely oblivious to the posibility he could be 'one of them' as it were. Well, it was hard to smell anything else when you smelled so damn strongly of oranges!

“Oh. Well I’m glad she’s not here then.” Tango responded with a smirk. Walking over the books on the shelves he turned around to face her once more, lazily leaning against the solid surface. His arms crossed over his chest, that smirk still planted there.

“Who have I met? Well…” He paused to gather his thoughts. “Pollux is my…well I guess you could call him my best friend. I’ve met his little sister Lorelei too. Then there was Ment who tried to kill me. I punched Adrian.” His hand, which had been counting off the name of the kids he had met moved to his cheek, pointing to a bruise there, as if it was proof of the fight the two had gotten in. “There was this bald kid in a diaper once. Oh, and Arius. Though, I never talked to that one, just over heard his name from Ment’s crazy mom.”

He couldn’t help the throaty chuckle that bubbled out, however, as she brought up his name and what scent he would be. “Vanyel huh?” He didn’t bother to agree that it was a good name. The girl herself seemed sure of herself. “Well, Vanyel, I’m sure Mango would be a good scent for me if I were a…” He paused, his smirk turning into a grin. “‘Scent-baby’”

The girl was glad Kitten wasn't here as well. As a teen it was only natural that she was beginning to grow irritable with her guardian figure, though there was no hatred there. The things Kitten said and did were just beginning to weigh a bit more heavily on her these days.

Tango's list of names was impressive, though she really didn't know most of the name he was listing off. Of course she knew Ment, but there wasn't that much excitement in the revelation. The diaper boy though, that was different. Vanyel definitally knew him, and Arius as well. "Oh! Amahte and Arius! They are both good friends of mine. How are they? I've not seen them since I, well, stopped being a scent-baby," she said, her voice trailing off a bit and a blush pinking her cheeks.

Laughter bubbled in the girl and spilled past smiling lips at his words and she'd give an enthusiastic nod. "You'd be a good mango scent-baby I'm sure, though you're so much more...calm than the others. Arius is always so excited about everything and Amahte's quite sure he's the ruler of the world. Maybe you'd be too normal to be one of us."

He appeared to think on the matter of the other two boys for a moment before answering. “Arius, when I saw him, was playing hide and seek with his mom…or dad, or whatever. I didn’t pay attention…Amafite, is that what you said his name was? Anyways, he just scared this little girl and proclaimed he was royalty.”

He yawned lazily from his spot and stretched before staring at the girl with his emerald and yellow flecked orbs. “I’m glad you’d think I’d make a good scent. Even though I’m too ‘normal’. Maybe you should tell May that. She seems to think she got the hard end of the stick when it comes to Scents.” Here he chuckled again, running a hand through his hair. “Guess that’s what she gets for stealing, huh?”

"Your mom's a klepto?" she asked curiously, plucking at the wide sleeves of her top and sort of tying or folding or twisting them in whatever manner of a ways that she could think to do it. A slow smile spread on her lips as she shook her head, not really interested in his mother, just as she wasn't too interested in her own. More interested, was she, in the Tango boy himself.

"Well, I mean, I don't think you're too normal, just plain normal. Maybe a little stand-offish at first, but who isn't when creepy chicks bother ya?" Vanyel teased with a giggle and a shuffle of her foot. Eyes cast about in an attempt to find somewhere other than the shelf to set down her book as her hands were getting bored with carrying it and she was afraid to lose it in the collection of unknown characters.

His hand left his hair then it and its counter part found its way into his pockets. “I guess you could call her that. Stole me right out of the shop, or so that’s what everyone says.”

He paused a moment, before shaking his head. “You aren’t so strange. Just startled me when I was playing.” Never mind the fact that the Mango scented child was stand off-ish to just about everyone.

His eyes glanced around, taking in the shop around them. “Did you just come here for that?” He motioned to the book in her hand. “You said ‘she’ but you never said who. Is it safe to assume that you, yourself aren’t the fan of Japanese music? If that were the case, what do you like?”

Vanyel was intelligent, at least she prided herself on thinking she was, but somehow she'd let everything slip past her, with his little funny hints and such. Stolen out of the shop though, that was enough to make her eyes wide behind her glasses and a gasp to come from newly shaped 'o' lips, "You are a scent-baby!" she said excitedly, feeling the urge to clap but being quite blocked with the book.

As she shot a glare to the book that had stopped her enjoyment of the moment, he too pointed it out and she gave it a curious look. "Kitten asked me to pick it up, but I think it's for her other charge, kind of like myself, not related to her. I've never met the girl," Vanyel said with a shrug, not wasting a breath on the fact that she'd never met her 'sister'.

"I like to read, so likely I'll read this before I give it to Kitten," she replied, not understanding that his question had been about music.

He nodded his head as it finally dawned on her. “Just as you said. Mango. Couldn’t you tell, or do you run into weird looking kids like myself all the time?”

He wondered briefly what it would have been like if May had had any other kids, let alone one he didn’t know. Deciding he didn’t care for the thought much, he shoved it away just as quickly as she had. “Like to read huh?” He ignored the fact his own question hadn’t been answered. “ May, my…mother, is a journalist.”

The girl pursed her lips with a huff, looking sulky but quickly shaking off the expressing with a turn of her head. He'd hidden that from her and he knew it, but that didn't mean he'd get the satisfaction of her being upset about it. "Maybe when you grow up you'll realize that you don't notice if other people smell or not," she offered without threat of snarky tone.

"Journalist? I don't usually read things like that, though I do read a lot of history books, and those were once more like journalist's reports than a book laid out to inform the world." Kitten was a researcher at an important lab, but she had a feeling it wasn't a battle of who had the better mother, simply a comment on her own interests.

Tango gave a wave of his hand as if to erase the matter. “Sure, sure, Vanyel.” He rolled his eyes in a joking way before he stood up right and stretched out his limbs lazily. Wondering if the girl was upset, in the least.

Shrugging off the thought he turned his attention back to her at the sound of her voice. “Eh, I don’t blame you. I don’t read any of May’s stuff either. It bores me. But then again, I just don’t care to read.” He spoke this in part truth. After all, he didn’t like to read, but that was simply because he hadn’t even bothered to even find anything that remotely sparked his interest. That, and he figured it would spark a reaction in the girl who claimed to read. “But if that’s how our history books are made, then I guess I should let the crazy woman due her own thing.”

The girl didn't get nettled by things very easily, and so his responce to her words and the admittance to not enjoying books only earned a shrug from her. Interests were personal and not everyone could be expected to share the same ones, so it'd only be silly to grow upset with the boy who had interest in this...Goo Goo Dolls? What was that on his t-shirt?

"What are the Goo Goo Dolls?" she asked, pointing unceremoniously towards the silkscreen print atop his chest. "Does it mean you like playing with dolls that look like babies and make goo goo, gaa gaa sounds?" The girl was completely confused.

Tango’s cocky smirk slipped right off his face, his expression taking on one of utter confusion. Blinking at her he tried to fathom what the hell she was talking about. Dolls…goo…goo…ga- Ooooh.

“It’s a band.” He answered, a smugness in his voice. “Don’t you listen to music?” He raised a skeptical eyebrow up at the girl. “They’re good too.” Well, then again, that was fairly obvious. Why else would he be wearing the shirt?

…lets just leave out the fact that he had…commandeered it from May’s closet one day. Hmph. Was still good music.

“Well, at least you cant see my naval.” He chuckled pointidly.

Vanyel gave a shrug at his rude comment about her clothing, which she quite liked and didn't really give half a damn if he didn't care for it. "If there was something wrong with my navel I might cover it, but it looks like a completely acceptable navel to me and for that I don't see why I would have to cover it. Is there something wrong with your navel?" the girl asked with the hint of a ghosting smile.

His question about music went unanswered for a little bit before she shook her head and nibbled upon her lower lip nervously. "I don't...really ever listen to music honestly. I mean, I listen to what Kitten plays now and then, but I don't have anything of my own and I don't have a personal taste." Vanyel wasn't ignorant to what music was, but she was pretty damn close when it came down to it. There just wasn't much she'd ever been given the chance to learn.

Tango raised an amused eyebrow, briefly glancing down at the clothed area that hid his...well, navel, before back at her again. “No, actually, there isn’t anything wrong with my navel.” He raised his head a little higher, a smug smirk playing on his lips. “But I understand you. If you aren’t horridly deformed, then you can show off skin, right? You should spread that hint of knowledge to those lovely women on the streets. I’m sure they’d agree whole-heartily with you.”

He was about to go on, to point her in a direction where she might be able to find some- when her answer to his question was heard. Wrinkling his nose half in distaste, and half in disbelief he shook his head. “If ‘Kitten’ is anything like May, you are missing out. Badly.” He chose to leave out the fact that they happened to share the same favorite band. After all- that was about all they liked in common.