Welcome to Gaia! ::

"Did you always speak so formally?"

Seyla blinked once, twice…and then three times more. Formality. When had Seyla become so formal? She suddenly laughed. It started as a deep chuckle as she clutched her sides. Little tears crept from the corners of her eyes from the reaction. Keila was right. Seyla was being far too serious. She continued to laugh for a moment, before calming herself once more.

”You’re right Keila, you’re right. Man when did I get so serious?” she paused a moment before continuing, “Honestly though, I think being around the church brings out the “formal” side of me. Gotta make a good impression ya know?”

Seyla grinned and the sparkle in her amber eyes returned. It seemed Keila was just as good at reading Seyla. Here Seyla though she finally had the girl figured out and she’d pulled new one right out from under her. She was so smart for one so young.

"I'd like to start hanging out with you more, Seyla. I really would. Like, I can't really say how much you saying that means. But I don't want you to feel like you need to look out for me or anything.."
"I think it'd be nice though, if we started hanging out to make up for all the time we haven't seen each other, you know? Catch up or.. something.."

Seyla heard the teen’s confidence wane as she got further and further in her monologue. She smiled serenely and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder; adding a tight squeeze in for good measure.

‘Now who’s being the serious one Keila?’ Seyla mused, well aware that Keila could more than likely hear her. She noticed the way silence seemed to make Keila uncomfortable; very much in the same way it did Seyla. She moved her lips, as if to speak up, and save the girl some grief, but Keila beat her to the punch once more.

"What were those kittens? They were really cute, Seyla Do they have names? Where'd they come from? Did you make them, or did you just call them? How long have you had them for?"

Seyla watched with great amusement as Keila’s green eyes lit up. There was an almost childlike quality to her expression as she excitedly spewed question after question—all of which Seyla would be happy to answer.

” That was Andromeda and Perseus, and yes they were kittens.”

Seyla now had to consider an adept way to explain summoning to Keila. While Keila was bright, Seyla didn’t quite understand it fully herself. There was still an element to her summoning that was unknown, and a large part of it involved letting herself give up some control. Seyla herself didn’t understand the language she spoke when she summoned, or how she knew it, but she assumed it was thanks to the chip in her mind.

”Well, it’s rather hard to explain. I must confess that I don’t fully understand it myself—but I’ll try to make it as clear as I can. Summons are more than flame manipulation. In order to bring forth a flame beast such as those kittens, you have to pour a bit of your own essence within them. The words I speak at the beginning—it’s an incantation that sets the summon in motion.” The last part was a bit of a stretch. Seyla didn’t really understand the language aspect, but that seemed to make the most sense to her.

” As for how long I’ve had them,” she gave a small laugh before continuing “I suppose you could say you just witnessed your first delivery of sorts. Perseus and Andromeda were ‘newborns’ I just named them.”

Once again, Keila slipped back into her awkward self. For a moment, Seyla had glimpsed at a rather mature Keila. She smiled at the thought; indeed, Keila would turn out just fine. The change of pace in the conversation was comforting. The seriousness of the past moments had been un-nerving; she was reuniting with a long lost friend not performing a eulogy! Idly, she let her legs swing back and forth below her, her movements mirroring those of Keila’s. She was thinking of a way to lighten the conversation a bit more; Keila’s questions could easily drive them back into serious territory. It was not that it bothered Seyla; she just noticed that it made Keila feel rather uncomfortable. A soft breeze swept through the garden as the cool air tickled the back of Seyla’s bare neck. It tickled and she shivered lightly, a small tremor sweeping through her body. It seemed it was getting cool out, and the sun was beginning to set. Hues of orange, purple, and pink began to mar the sky. The sunset was so pretty! She loved the way the colors blended as they fell beneath the horizon.

"Delivery..?" "Th-that's a first."


Keila seemed to swallow the words as her cheeks turned a rosy red. She hadn’t meant to incur such a reaction; in fact, now that she thought of it, the analogy was rather perverse. The thought made Seyla chuckle. At least she had a sense of humor, right? Even if it might be deemed sick and twisted. There were much worse things she could think about. She quickly scolded herself as she let her mind wander; this wasn’t the place for such thoughts.

"Andromedus and Persea?" "What made you decide those names?"

Keila’s mistake quickly drew Seyla’s attention. She’d gotten rather good at picking things up like this since she started working as a tutor. Other’s might think it rude, but Seyla now seemed to pipe up with corrections all of the time. Hopefully Keila wouldn’t take offense to her abrupt interjection.

“Andromeda and Perseus. It comes from an ancient Greek myth. Andromeda was the daughter of a king and queen, and her parents made the mistake of declaring her more beautiful than the daughters of the sea god Poseidon. As punishment for their disrespect, Andromeda was chained to a rock to be sacrificed to a sea monster sent by Poseidon. Perseus was the Greek hero who slayed Medusa. Athena and Hermes had aided him, giving him a magical pouch to hold the gorgon’s head, and flying sandals respectively. Perseus then used Medusa’s severed head to turn the sea monster in stone, in turn saving Andromeda. Honestly though, I just liked their names.”

Seyla spoke calmly as she faced Keila, explaining the myth to Keila. The myth itself got much more complex, as it was tied into many other arcs, but at the heart that was the tale. Seyla wasn’t sure when she had acquired an affinity for ancient Greek mythology, but she knew it was something she always went to for inspiration; especially when naming. She was telling the truth about simply liking the names though. She liked to give meaning to things she named, but sometimes the sound of the name was what hooked her as opposed to its meanings or origins.

“If you watch me, you might gain a better understanding of how my summoning works.”

Seyla winked at the younger girl, she was giving Keila an invitation to observe of course. She then turned so that she faced Keila, her legs crossed at her heels behind her. She offered her palms, holding them upwards between both of their bodies. First she simply produced a flame. It was almost instantaneous as the spark appeared within her soft hands. “This,” she explained, “is a flame. Notice that when I produce flames there is no incantation required. Think of it as if I’m turning a switch on and off within my body. When I turn the switch off-“ she then proceeded to extinguish the flame “the flame goes away. When I turn it on, it returns.” Seyla then produced the flame once more. Indeed, it was very much like a light switch. She quickly put the flame out, getting ready to summon the two kittens once more. “Now watch carefully as I summon Perseus and Andromeda. Instead of turning on a switch from within me, I’m channeling their spirits into my flame. It’s a little trippy, but that’s my best understanding of it.”

Seyla grinned, indeed it was rather out there to think she was communing with animal spirits. But it seemed to be the most logical explanation. With that said, she spoke loudly, spilling the foreign incantation into the air as the words slipped past her lips. She could not describe the language, for even she couldn’t hear it as she spoke. Keila, on the other hand, would be able to. It was only Seyla who was unaware of the sounds she produced. Observers had commented that it sounded very much like Latin, although no one was able to identify its true identity. Two flames danced within her hands and shifted into the forms of two fluffy and fiery kittens. They tackled each other and mewed loudly, completely oblivious to Seyla or Keila.

”Perseus…Andromeda,” Seyla cooed. The two kittens quickly stopped their play and turned their attention towards her. She used her thumbs to lightly rub behind their miniature ears and they purred happily.

” Would you like to hold one Keila? Don’t worry, they won’t burn you. They are far too young to harm anyone. Your hands will just feel warm.”

The two kittens would eventually grow to be the size of Arabesque, her old tiger flame summon who Headmaster Mattus had absorbed. As they grew, their flames would become more dangerous, and Seyla would have to erect shields to keep herself and others from getting burned when coming into contact with them. She beamed happily, hopefully Keila would say yes.

Seyla barely picked up on Keila’s mutterings and she took a moment to make sure she heard right before answering. Andromeda and Perseus were closer to animals to humans. Whether or not they felt human emotions such as love and hate, she did not know. It was something she would never know because she didn’t think like they did, nor could they communicate outside of her speech and their understanding
.
“I don’t know. Maybe? I’m not out to play flaming kitty matchmaker” she grinned at Keila who had now sat up at attention. She seemed to be engrossed with Seyla’s summoning, although it was more as if she was in a trance than taking all of the information in. Seyla didn’t mind, most people had a hard time following along anyhow; and most of her students didn’t exactly enjoy tutoring either. As the night grew closer and closer, Andromeda and Perseus shone brighter and brighter. Their orange flames radiated light upon the faces of the two girls as Seyla leaned closer to Keila. Noting Keila’s cupped hands and eager face, she brought her hands, and the two kittens closer to Keila.

"Andromeda.. Perseus.." C'mere. It's okay." Seyla carefully nudged Andromeda forward with the tip of her thumb. The tiny kitten rolled forward in a tiny ball of flame, straight into Keila’s waiting palms. Andromeda mewled lightly as she tried to right herself into a sitting position. She was currently tangled mess of paws and fiery fur. Keila would probably have to give her a little assistance with one of her fingers. Meanwhile Perseus happily purred as Seyla tickled his ears. He allowed himself to nuzzle up against her thumb. Seyla swore she spied a smile upon his feline features.

”Put out one of your fingers so she can latch onto it and untangle herself. They’re still young and rather clumsy” Seyla chuckled as Perseus missed her thumb and seemed to fall flat on his face. It took a moment for the kitten to get back up and he shook his head as if in a daze. As if realizing that Seyla was laughing at him, he defiantly let out a little roar, a tiny burst of blue flame spewing from his muzzle. Seyla gave a little yelp. Thankfully it was only a small burn; the flame itself was the size of her fingernail. It still hurt thought.

“Perseus!” she scolded. She shook he head grinning as she looked over at Keila. Perseus meanwhile trotted about in her palms as if to celebrate his “victory” of sorts. The little kitten was indeed defiant.
”And this is why you have sweet little Andromeda over there Keila. Perseus here has a little authority problem…it’s called the male ego.”

The sun had just about set, leaving the two girls in a blanket of darkness. Andromeda and Perseus now served as small beacons, their flames glimmering like the beaming stars up above. Andromeda seemed content to nest upon Keila’s shoulder, her form curled into a small ball as she nuzzled up against Keila’s neck. It seemed Andromeda had taken a liking to Keila. Once again, she smiled. Seyla felt like she had been doing that a lot this evening, ever since she had seen Keila enter the church. The girl was a welcome intrusion in her life. Perseus had finally settled down himself, rolling about on his back as if trying to scratch an itch. Seyla grazed her fingers over his spine and the kitten purred contentedly. She moved the fiery feline onto her own shoulder, mirroring the position of Keila and Andromeda.

”Too bad they’ll grow up, huh?”

Seyla met her laughter with a nod. They were adorable when they were young. But in growing up and aging they became some of the most loyal and loving companions one could find. It was a bond Seyla was blessed to have. Many people had dogs or cats, but how many had exotically beautiful flame summons? Their danger seduced her, just as much as their beauty had. She could relate to them; Arabesque, Andromeda, and Perseus-- they understood her in ways that even Kurai sometimes couldn’t. Flames were all a part of their beings that threatened to consume them—the summons in a more literal sense. The flame was their life; but it was also their death. With Seyla there were other forces at work; forces in which she had slowly began to break down. It was a process she feared, that would take a lifetime.

”Yes, it will be sad when we can no longer hold them like this. They will not be so cute, but they will be majestic. You’re very fortunate Keila—summons don’t always take too keenly to those other than their summoner. Andromeda it seems, has taken a likening to you. You should know that she’ll always defend you. When a summon creates a bond with someone, it is not one that is easily broken.” She explained.

Summons she had learned, were very selective to those they not only protected, but obeyed. Of course the age of Andromeda and Perseus was a great help, but it was still something Keila could be proud of. Seyla noticed a chill run through her body as a swift breeze swept through the garden. Now that darkness had fallen, it had gotten rather cold. She looked over to Keila before speaking,

“It’s dark now, maybe we should go inside where its warm and maybe a little brighter?” she was open to leaving elsewhere as well. She would just have to check in with one of the acolytes before doing so. It was then that she noticed a grumbling in her stomach. Maybe a bite to eat would be good as well.

(ooc: forgive me, still finding a good format and such. Christmas colors was getting too christmas-y)

Seyla stood to her feet as she watched Keila and Andromeda. The two were utterly adorable adorable and she hated to think that she'd have to take the kitten away in a few moments. Taking Perseus into her hand she brought him up to her eye level. The blazing orbs stared deep into her soul as if reading her thoughts and feelings on a level completely beyond Keila's own abilities.

"Ready to go back to sleep Perseus?" she asked sweetly. Perseus stood on his legs and stretched, his front side bowing down as his rear and tail extended into the air. With a soft purr her nuzzled himself up against Seyla's cheek, as if giving her permission to send him away. She glanced over at Keila.

"I'm afraid that means Andromeda must head back too. You can stop by and play with her anytime though"Seyla stated reluctantly. She was sure the offer would excite Keila and could already imagine the two playing together. She couldn't wait to see Keila's reaction when Andromeda got old enough to accidentally burn her hair. Suddenly, the girl burst into a fit of giggles at the thought. No doubt, Keila would be confused, unless she was able to read the image from Seyla's mind. She was certain she was broadcasting it rather loudly, or at least what she thought to be so.

"Don't worry about what happened before. All is forgiven." Seyla hoped to reassure Keila. To be honest, it was something that happened quite a bit, so the various church workers were used to the interruptions. Even though, they tried to keep them to a minimum out of respect for the visitors and the Lord himself. Seyla scratched her head, ever since she had begun working for the church, she found herself speaking more and more formally. Not only that, she seemed to even sound like she believed in these things. She supposed that was a good; she was sure people would be offended if they knew of her lack of faith. Or was guidance the proper word? Seyla herself believed in a higher power, and indeed God himself, she just didn't have the confidence or education to back it up.

Thoughts aside, Seyla extended her open palms towards Keila, allowing Andromeda to bound over when she was done saying her goodbyes. Perseus waited patiently in in her palms, eager to get some rest with his sister. It was at this moment that Seyla thought she heard some commotion coming from the living quarters of the church. It sounded like fighting? She wasn't sure. Maybe Kurai was just having a bad day and venting his frustrations. She shook off the notion, and waited for Keila. Whatever it was, Mother Aili would take care of it.

"Ready to go back to sleep Perseus?"

Keila looked to her left for a moment, glancing to Seyla and the kitten in her hands, feeling something pass between the two. Her own features went deadpan as she focused on listening to what might have been said, but it was colors. Feelings. Something that you needed to know already to understand. Her brow knit absently as she tried to listen harder, figuring it to be a fault of her own. She blinked the strange look on her face away as Seyla returned her stare, the sombering statement about Andromeda having to leave making her frown.

The thought that she would be able to see her again soon was comforting, but still! She didn't want to say goodbye so quickly. Seyla's thoughts about Andromeda growing up made her smile a little. Wait until it happens to you. she thought a little teasingly, grinning as she hoped her thoughts reached Seyla.

She closed her eyes and sighed, opening them on the kitten, who understood what had to happen. She mewed at Keila, and the girl smiled faintly down at her, giving her a small kiss on the top of her warm little head. Andromeda leapt from her hand and into Seyla's, jumping onto Perseus' back with what seemed no malintent.

Keila gave a small, slightly sad smile up at Seyla and nodded to her a little. "So should we head back into the church now..?" she asked with a noticable quietness to her voice. She blinked as she heard a crash from within the peaceful-seeming building, extending her thoughts outward to try and gauge what was going on. She could only tilt her head to the side a little, thinking that whatever she was thinking she was hearing couldn't have been right. Something about.. fire.. a devil's tail.. and plants? I really am losing it. she thought with a small sigh and detached herself from the supposedly-made-up situation.

Austin was still surprised he hadn't heard of her earlier; Seyla Hawking, the elemental tutor, that is. Since he'd returned to work on his techniques, he should've gone to her first, but in becoming active again, Ria had failed to update a good amount of their lesson planners. This led Austin to believe that they still hadn't hired an elementalist teacher, and so he had begun his training solo, instead working on the 'basics' of manipulation as opposed to higher level techniques. Well, that was about to change, and it made Austin visibly excited; He had a small smirk plastered on his usually-pursed lips, and he had a light spring in his step, making him a bit faster than usual. He anticipated many things, and the thought that perhaps Seyla was also a wind manipulator only increased his eagerness in meeting her. The small picture posted next to her class advertisement wasn't very clear, and had, since being stapled to the wall, already been smeared and drawn on by students with markers; So he wasn't sure exactly how she would appear as of yet.
But the Ad did say she would be in the church if she wasn't in her office, which she wasn't; and the Church was where he was currently headed.
Upon arriving at the double-doors, he pitched the smoldering cigarette he had between his lips nonchalantly into a nearby trashcan. He inhaled and exhaled slowly, drawing up his breath and focus, so as not to appear misguided or odd(even though he, himself, thought he was odd), and pushed through one of the doors calmly, taking a small wiff of the air in the church. It smelled lightly of incense and old books and candles, which was an odd combination Austin had never been used to, though he didn't mind it either. The light in the church was a bit dim; the main source was sunlight, which leaked through the stained glass windows of the church, but on such a cloudy day, it was somewhat darker than usual.
Austin made his way calmly down the Aisle, looking calmly and quietly for Seyla. When he finally spotted a person with hair similar to that on the advertisement, he made his way slowly down the row just behind hers, and sat in the pew behind her.
After a few moments of silence, Austin mustered the courage to ask.
"Excuse me.."
Feeling rude for interrupting her during a moment of thought, Austin blushed slightly when she turned around; though you couldn't tell in this dim light, unless you were very close to his face.
"Might you be Seyla Hawking, the elemtental tutor?.."
Austin hoped she was, because he didn't see anybody else here except a boy, and he was already getting up to leave.
The clouds in the sky must've cleared away, because after asking, A shaft of light shot through the darkness of the church, and blanketed them both in newfound warmth in this dim place. Austin squinted immediately, and placed his right hand at his temple to provide a small shield.

Now having enough light to see, Austin was somewhat shocked at how pretty Seyla was. His mouth opened slightly, and his eyebrow raised unwittingly in response.