Welcome to Gaia! ::

"What the hell kind of idiot buys seven kinds of dip and no chips?" It was a question Inle had asked herself several times since she had been put in charge of setting up the center for the "surprise" birthday party for someone or another. She hadn't been paying attention to Stae's inane chatter; hell, she wasn't even supposed to BE there today!

Her day had started out simply enough: she had stopped by the Center at Asrafel's recommendation, having met the boy the other night at the Love residence. The fairy boy seemed taken by Calumet and had mentioned the Center, and the gods knew Inle took any chance possible to get rid of her kids, if only for a little while.

Upon arriving there, she had found not Asrafel but Orestae. She remembered the woman from their literal run-in days prior; remembered fondly the way the woman dubbed her Hayeta "Cootie." The vivacious and quite insane woman had been in the midst of setting up what promised to be a fantastic kegger and Inle, curious, asked about the occasion, hoping to score a free drink--a quiet day without at least one of the kids and a beer, really, what more could she have asked for?

Stae informed her that it was all for the party of the Center's secretary and that oops! She had forgotten the chips, so if Inle would kindly finish setting up, she was free to take all the beer she wished. It was hours later and Orestae hadn't returned, leaving Inle with a bunch of beer, a grabby toddler, and a party to finish setting up.

"Honestly," she muttered, steering Calumet away from the multi-colored party light ball for the umpteenth time, a roll of streamers in one hand.

Ladyumbra walked timidly through the doors of the Benedict Center. Despite the welcoming atmosphere and decent music playing she was still nervous.What would happen if she saw her niece again should she approach her or not.Trailing behind her Tybalt eyed everyone in amazement so many colours and shapes he could create walls worth of pictures of them.

Enoh stretched one of her arms over her head, havng paused for a moment in her walk to shift the sleeping baby in her arms, and to reflect on exactly what she was doing. The shapeshifter didn't look too pleased, and that went without saying...the last encounter she had with Alania...well, lets just say it didn't end well. She was pretty sure she pissed off more than Nio's sister that day, as Alania seemed to have very loyal friends.

Those loyal friends, Enoh guessed, would probably be there today. Joy.

In anycase, Enoh had agreed to come, but only because Nio had practically begged her to do so. He did need the help, especially with what he had planned...so she agreed to come for, you know, moral support.

"Well, lets get this over with, shall we little one?" Enoh coo'ed softly at the baby in her arms. Iva stretched her tiny, pudgey little arms and yawned in response, blinking open her sleep-filled red eyes to stare at her mother. "Aww...Did Mommy wake you? Sorry sweetie~" Without really realizing it, she then slipped into pointless baby babble, just enough to entertain the cabbit-eared little girl...who, of course, showed her joy by half-snorting, half-giggling, as babies were prone to do.

Slowly, Enoh pulled her attention from Iva, who was now entertaining herself by reaching for her mother's silver hair, and looked back up at the Centre, that look of dread crossing her features once more. Taking a deep breath, she pushed open the door with her free hand and stepped inside, looking around for someone...anyone...she would know.

Ioyla more-or-less trapiezed into the Daycare Center/Orphanage/HELLHOLE cradling a squirming Ilistala in both arms. Her patience was running thinner than water, and pretty soon, if the baby didn't stop shrieking in her ear, someone was going to lose an arm. The young demon had never been to the Benedict Center, but Eight had told her about it, and Stala was really getting on her nerves, so...why not?

And anyways, they had beer! Ioyla lowered Stala to the ground the moment she spotted the keg of alcohol. "Mother of Gahd..." she murmured, her arms going limp and her jaw sliding open. Ioyla Infriti was a boozer and a partier, and what was better than a whole KEG OF BEER and like, four babies? Nothing, that's what!

---

Ilistala scrabbled across the floor the moment she was set loose. Time for some splorin! The young baby zipped away on her hands and knees, babbling and gurgling at everything. Mommy looked all happy at something--something big and shiney--so she was free to go, yippie hooray!

Stala slowly approached a huge box. It was big and it made lots of loud noises, and she didn't like it. With a sour look on her face, she clapped two chubby hands over her ears and scooted away. Time to find someone to play with! She spotted a very dark person with pretty wings and bright ribbons, and before you could say one-track mind, Ilistala was off, crawling faster than the speed of smell towards Asrafel.

Ioyla was busy, trying to think of the best way to approach the keg without having a spazz attack. But the lack of Ilistala's usually dependant, never-failing whine was driving her nuts. ...wait, the lack? Ioyla swiveled around on her feet, her hands flying to her mouth. s**t! Where was she? Panic slid down her throat like molases: thick, choaking, and bitter.

But her worry soon subsided once she found her baby...in the arms of a kid she didn't know. A naked kid. A naked kid in ribbons. ... Kay. The demon lifted Stala out of Asrafel's arms, who squirmed now more than ever as she held her. "I...wh...you're naked." A job well done, Captain Obvious!

---

Ilistala squeaked and giggled when she was picked up by the ribbony boy. Ohh, he was so soft! And look, there was another baby here, just like her! Stala reached out to grab Calumet's hair and pull it. Curiousity killed the cat, and perhaps even the baby.

But Stala's hands never made it to the other baby's hair, as she was suddenly taken from the soft boy to her mother. She squealed loudly, desperate to be back on the floor and seeing everything. Ioyla's comforting smell of cigarettes and strawberry body wash settled over Ilistala, which calmed her down quickly.

A daycare center.

Staring up at the building was like staring up at heaven itself. Surely it was God who had created such a wonderous place - a place where you could drop off your kids and resume the life you lost when having them. Oh yes...to have your children taken care of by other people was like...like...

Sukkubus felt the weight of motherhood gradually slip off her shoulders.

Finally tearing her eyes away from the heavenly building known a Benedict Center, she looked down at the card that lay flat within her hand; she slid it into a pocket, eyelids falling half-mast. Yes...

Sometime after she had taken Jocelyn in, the girl had one day marched into the kitchen proclaiming that she had found something tucked within her boot - it happened to be a business card of the daycare she stood so weak before. Sukku had known that taking in another child would put a toll upon her physically and emotionally, so when the card was handed over, it was like some being, God or otherwise, was looking out for her.

And since she didn't exactly think God was in her favor, she thanked Elliot instead.

"Are we going in or not?" a voice beside her more or less drawled.

Jocelyn stood looking as dejected as she possibly could, her arms wrapped around the most hideously morbid teddy bear one could ever lay eyes upon. At one point of the poor, stuffed animal's life, it had looked clean and normal, but since the blonde girl had set her paws on it...

Well, the poor thing didn't stand a chance.

"Oh yes, we must!" Sukkubus said, feigning eagerness - or was she? She really did want to dump her kid off here, only because she had gotten about three hours sleep in the past four days. So grabbing the girl by the arm, she more or less dragged her through the doors...

And into a party.

"What the hell?"

"Ilistala." He repeated in a soft voice, to see if the girl replied. "Hello Ilistala. And Ioyla! It's nice to meet you both." He grinned, looking about. "I'm sure you're a bit confused about what's going on.. you see, our secretary's birthday is today. Oh!" He stopped as he realized Ioyla had mentioned Alania's name, and turned his eyes back to her. "You already mentioned her! Your friend Eight knows Alania then? Will Eight be- ... Eight? I know an Eight.. and I wouldn't suppose that is a very common name.." He giggled softly, grinning at the connection he suddenly made, and how small the world suddenly seemed.

"Well, that's beside the point. You're welcome to the party of course, it's open to everyone! But especially to very special people.. like Ilistala here!" He grinned and bent down to give Ilistala a wink, though he was sure the poor thing had no idea what he was talking about.

"I should get Calumet here back to his mother, so if you'll excuse me! If you have any questions though, you'll come ask me, all right? Anytime! It's lovely meeting you both."

He grinned broadly and waved to Ilistala, before hefting Calumet once more and turning around. Inle wasn't where she was a moment ago, and he searched the room looking for her. Instead, his eyes fell on someone else, someone new.

He cocked his head for a moment, and his smile faded. He took a few steps toward Joce and Sukku, looking from one to another. He was curiously silent.

But how rude of him! He looked down at Joce, who he recognized easily as one of his own, though the shock of seeing someone close to his age was what had held his tongue. He snapped himself out of it and waved politely.

"H-hello!"