Welcome to Gaia! ::

The iron gates to the Maevin beach mansion were open. The various traps tucked and hidden around the road were set aside and placed at a location where they could cause no trouble to the incoming visitor. Lunch had been served and devoured after the choirs had been completed. Now with everything out of the way, Lillian and Tyson had to face the hardest task yet. They had to wait.

Neither sibling liked waiting, but for the last ten years of doing so, they had grown used to it. Yet the normality of the task faded when the voice on the phone did not belong to a parent or a relative. Oh no, it wasn’t anyone of the sort.

The familiar voice was pleasant and sounded rather excited as she spoke with them. But why wouldn’t they? It was, after all, the one and only Alex! She was the young woman who always wore a big bright grin on her face whenever they met up with her.

Unfortunately, after Garg’s death, both Lillian and Tyson had not seen or spoken to the adventurous woman. To hear her voice speaking to them over the line made their hearts give an excited flutter, especially after she told them she was bringing a surprise.

Even so, did a hint of grief cross their minds as they hurried to finish the morning work? Yes, of course it did. It hung over their shoulders like a mage’s cloak as they made their way around the yard to move their booby traps out of the way. For when Alex brought them a surprise before it changed their lives. Since that surprise was Garg, and he certainly made a life-changing difference.

As Lillian sat upon the porch’s steps and drummed her fingers against the old wood, her eyes remained fixated on the driveway. Her heart, just like her brother’s, was pounding a mile a minute. She couldn’t stop thinking as to what this surprise could be! Alex could bring anything to them after all. She kind of hoped it was food…since food couldn’t come to life.

So while Lillian sat and stared out at the driveway, Tyson would fidget in his spot when he wasn’t up and pacing about. Constantly to the point of Lillian having it down to a frame of numbers, the lad would get up from his seat to walk around the front yard for what Lillian counted to be 20 just before he’d return and sit beside her. The poor lad was just as nervous and scared as she was, but all they could do was wait. There was no escape from the future, so they just allowed it to come.

Just as Alex predicted, the children had rose from their spots upon the stoop before she could even get a leg out the car door. Due to how fast they moved to stand, it looked as if the notorious duo had inserted springs into the soles of their feet. Even so, with the excitement came a tense air that surrounded Lillian and Tyson as they awaited the unveiling.

Abruptly they paused from taking a step forward when Alex emerged from her car, yelled at them to not move a muscle, and hurried about to get something still hidden inside the vehicle’s depths. As if practiced and performed on cue, the two shared a look of worry and confusion. Neither knew what Alex would share with them but they certainly hoped it would not be whatever had given her those injuries.

Appearing rather awkward with their joints stiff, eyes wide, and breathing slight askew, they remained in their spot. The seconds that would normally blip by passed Lillian and Tyson achingly slow to the point of becoming decades in their eyes.

Any minute now whoever was in the truck would reveal themselves…So any minute now Tyson could quit his shaking and allow his fingers relief from wringing through their twins. Any minute now Lillian could relax her muscles and finally give herself a full breath.

Any minute now….

The waiting period was shattered when Alex’s pick up truck gave a wounded squeal as it shuddered under shifting weight. As it shook, Tyson could barely comprehend what was trying to get down onto the ground. It sounded big…and the shaking of the car didn’t help settled his overactive imagination.

Alex had brought them Garg, a real life gargoyle from their parents; For all he knew this time she might bring a dragon or BigFoot or perhaps the Missing Lynx. When the car cried out even louder as a massive grey hand emerged to take Alex’s, Tyson’s emotions took a swift turn down the path of regret. Maybe he really didn’t want to see what it was…it’d probably be best if he went inside with Marmaduke and Ghoulia so Lillian could handle sending whatever it was Alex had happily brought away.

There was not a word in the dictionary that could of placed a label onto the feelings that erupted inside Lillian and Tyson the moment they laid eyes on what Alex had guided away from her truck. From these emotions, sprouted various thoughts that rocketed and collided within their vessels, raging a battle like never before. When the dust cleared, all that was left in the realm of reality were two wide-eyed statue-esque figures.

But even after each and every thought bubble inside of them was jumbled and put on the ultimate high, one question remained clear to them both.

Was this who they thought it was?

For months now, ever since Garg’s death and soul capture, the two had awaited patiently for this day. When they had an hour to spare, Lil and Tyson would plan out what to say to the raevan when they met face to face. Lillian felt that they had to make this perfect. This wasn’t some kind of pet, but someone who they would raise and give meaning to. A simple “Hello” would not do!

Yet as Lil stared opened mouthed at the new raevan without her glorious speech falling into place on her lips, a good old “Hello” would have been better than what she had now.

Not even Tyson, who was a reliable voice when it came to clearing a shroud of silence, could find his voice to ease the silence. The lad just stood beside his sister with a look that was twisted between terrified and astonishment.

The cold clawed hand, suited more for a giant than an average raevan, suddenly tightened it’s grip upon Alex’s warm hands when neither of the two children spoke. The warnings to be gentle seemed to now be forgotten by the raevan once he was out of the truck and placed back into an unfamiliar atmosphere. Though his grip showed his fear, the gargoyle raevan youth’s face never altered from a calm and controlled look.

Lillian and Tyson did exactly what Alex wanted of them. She was the one in control here, not them. If she wanted them to jump, they ask how high. It was clear to anyone that the siblings were beyond the point of shock and encroaching on the grounds of utter disbelief. They had waited so long! And now he was here. Right there in front of them.

The gargoyle’s body, once rigid and barely able to bend, softened. Alex’s calm voice the remedy to his sudden streak of panic. A relaxed look held his facial features, even though he still appeared rather smug due to the structure of his face.

Lillian was the first out of the two to set herself the closest to him. They were almost at an arm’s length apart. The serious look that had possessed her and given her the scowl was gone by the time she reached their raevan. The teenager had watched how Alex handled the rare creature and now decided to repeat it. A soft voice and a gentle tone was all she seemingly needed to gain his trust. “Hello?” Lillian told the newborn. “I’m Lillian, and this is Tyson.” She motioned to the lad behind her who still looked terrified.

Tyson’s world had already been turned upside down numerous times, but today would probably become one of the worst. Sure there raevan came and all, but he didn’t look at all like Tyson had planned for. Even though he was “over” that “phase”, to even look at the raevan made him feel uneasy. He just looked so dark and menacing that it treaded the grounds of terror rather than love.

Iorek jumped when Lillian finally spoke, but other than that he remained in a calm state of mind. His visible eye looked to the side at Alex, seeming to ask for help. He didn't know what to do now that they had drawn closer with a load of attention place upon his shoulders.

The young raevan slowly raised a massive hand forward as he followed what Alex had implied. Shaking hands, yes, he remembered how to do that. Didn’t he? Iorek’s blank expression twisted to match that of an uneasy young man as the painful afterthought hit.

Yet the newborn was not left to question himself for long. Right after he had raised his clawed hand, Lillian outstretched both of hers and clasped his in her own. She was just as gentle as Alex if not more. Her calloused fingers that had handled wires and gadgets with such great power ghosted over his like fragile spring butterflies.

The uneasiness that swam and swayed in the pit of Lillian’s belly thankfully did not reveal itself to the world as she moved their hands up and down in a handshake. Instead of a squeamish frown, a sweet and loving smile met the stone raevans’s sheepish grimace. She had to be strong for this youth even though he made her skin crawl with fear. He needed her. If Lillian turned her back on him now, what kind of person was she?

The smile remained as her voice danced upon the air with confidence. “Welcome to our home,” Lillian paused for a moment, looked back at Tyson, and then back to the young raevan. “Iorek.” That would be his name. After weeks of searching through old books and even online baby name dictionaries, Lillian and Tyson had at last stumbled upon the name in one of the lad’s books. Iorek was a strong name, but there was something about it they both found comforting. It was perfect.

Tyson followed suit after Lillian when it came to approaching and shaking Iorek’s large hand. The youth marveled at how big their raevan’s arms were but said nothing else except for a grumbled, “Welcome.” He just didn’t feel up to this. Perhaps the shock and surprise had made him sick? The lad couldn’t tell, so he kept his vision low and only raised his hazel eyes when it was to meet Lillian’s gaze or Alex’s glances.

Iorek…the name they had chosen to fit a hero, just like Garg. It was a name meant to give honor and strength. Yet already this raevan did not appear to be fit for such a wonderful name. Just by his looks alone he suited the villains, the bad guys, the ones who turned their backs on their families to leave them for dead.

That thought alone made Tyson shiver. Would that happen to them when Iorek grew? Perhaps they had the souls mixed up? Maybe this wasn’t their raevan after all? Maybe this was just someone they sent to test them until their gallant hero was born. Or…maybe this guy was it?

Iorek looked to Alex before back at the children. He was very relieved. This meant that they accepted him, that they cared for him. This was the start of a...what had Alex called it? A family. He had a family. It was small, but it was something.

A budding warmth then grew inside Iorek's chest as a tender smile graced his lips. To the three before him, the once expressionless raevan looked truly happy for the first time. To him, he had been accepted. Good thing he could not hear, nor would he even be able to understand, Tyson's thoughts on the subject for it would be just the opposite.

“I found it!” Tyson suddenly added in from the sidelines. That exclamation was probably the loudest he had sounded in a great amount of weeks. Shocked, Lillian glanced over to Tyson with hope in her eyes that he would say more. He didn’t though. As fast as his voice had come it burrowed back into his being just as swiftly. At least this meant he had not become a total shut-in. He certainly was paying enough attention if he wanted to make a claim to who came up with such a good name. His thought was, he may not exactly like this raevan, but this gift that was his name was all thanks to him.

Iorek watched Alex intently as she spoke of what he was capable of doing for them. His slick black arched brows furrowed and his lower lip drew into his mouth as his upper teeth took a liking to chewing on it. What exactly was she saying? The stone raevan grew very curious for an answer to his question since whatever Alex had said seemed to please the young woman very much. Young woman…no…Lillian wasn’t it? The smile that drew upon her lips was beautiful. Iorek recalled someone else smiling just as big. Yes, that was right. It was the first time he saw colors and light, when he was “born”. The first time he saw her she was wearing the exact same smile Lillian had now.

Very quickly, for he believed it was necessary to copy what Alex was doing with her limbs, Iorek drew his great arms upwards and clasped one of his giant hands on the similar area of his other arm that Alex had done. He didn’t know how to flex the muscle but by the looks of it he knew that just doing the action would make Lillian happy.

Indeed it had. A light laugh floated up and out of Lillian to take hold of the air and sprinkle down bits and pieces of happiness. Such a nice sound! Iorek didn’t know what it was, but he liked hearing it. Why? Well…that too he didn’t know. He just felt a great sense of warmth when he heard that sound.

Warmth….Iorek suddenly jumped when he felt a sense of warmth upon his arms after he had lowered them once Alex had. Lillian was holding his arms and still smiling. Their eyes only met for a moment that was enough for something to spark inside of him. Locked on, Iorek continued to stare at the female as she turned her head to look over to Alex.

“He will be happy here. I’ll make sure of it.” Lillian replied to her older friend. “Thanks so much for bringing him to us Alex. I really appreciate it.”