Welcome to Gaia! ::

(( She wasn't in it, in it, but she was one of them that tried to break it up. And quickly exited it as she got kicked in the face. Had a black eye for weeks, poor thing. No one realized she was there because she didn't make any noise. ))

Alida dropped her hands and shrugged as it became obvious he didn't understand her signing. She thought for a second, and then realized that the most obvious solution is to simply ask for something to write on.

So, she nodded, and then made a pantomime of writing on a piece of paper, and then looked at him questioningly.

She smiled and nodded, and raised one hand to her mouth briefly, unconsciously doing the 'thank you' sign, before taking the paper and pen.

Thank you very much. As for your question, yes, I talked with Sere at the park when everyone was in the snow. My name's Alida, nice to meet you. she wrote in her neat script, and handed it back to him with a smile.

Alida read what he had written, then returned his smile with a bright one of her own and took his hand. He was the first person to ever bother responding in the same way, and she felt somehow grateful to him for it.

After shaking hands, Alida returned the pen to the paper and wrote, Zuko it is, then. Most people call me either Ali or Lida, but I have no real preference. By most, she meant, everyone but Ritsu, who insisted on calling everyone by their full names with -san added to the end.

Alida glanced out at the people moving with the music, and sighed.

Mom says I don't get out enough, and so I was told that I was going to this party, and I would try to have fun. I don't know this kind of music, though. she wrote, and tilted her head to listen to the sounds coming from the speakers.

They weren't entirely unpleasant, but they were definitely harsher than an orchestra playing Bach or Mozart.

Alida blinked, and peeked up at him to make sure he wasn't pulling her leg. He didn't seem to be, and she pinked slightly on her nose. She wasn't used to being called pretty.

Thank you, Zuko. I'm glad I could be of service. she wrote with a smile, and a small flourish.

It's not bad music, but definitely not Bach. Very emotional, though. She nodded, hearing some of the lyrics, the ones she could catch, this being her first time hearing the band.

Alida tilted her head. Is that surprising? she wrote, and looked at him questioningly, curiously. She often wondered how others perceived her, whether it be physically or mentally, and she was acutely aware of stares because of her wings, when she let them out.

She wondered if it would be okay to let down the shawl here... Zuko didn't seem to be afraid to show his tail, she noticed. Her gaze drifted over to the rest of the party, not all, or even most, of whom were Banir, before being brought back to the paper when Zuko began to write.

She smiled along with the golden demon's laughter, a bit mystified at what he really meant by 'screaming'. But she figured if she stayed here long enough, she'd figure it out.

What sort of music do you like? she wrote in response.

Alida smiled, but inside she was feeling rather insecure now, after it had been pointed out to her just how out of place she was, in this place full of teens that liked their music loud and with a chest rumbling beat.

She fiddled with the pen for a moment or two, unsure, and then wrote, I suppose you don't like poetry or Shakespeare, either? and then looked up at him with a hestitant look. If he didn't like those... she thought of her collection of Shakespeare on her bookshelf, and her notebooks full of poetry, and bit her lip.