Welcome to Gaia! ::

“Hmmm…” Josh found himself confronted with one of the more important choices of his day. The boy’s astute auburn eyes darted discerningly over the case before him. His lips parted uncertainly mouthing his thoughts as he grabbed for one of the cartons in the chilled container. He inspected the label of the milk then reached for another. He balanced the two in his outstretched palms as if weighing their value. With an exasperated sigh he spoke up, “Which is better. Two percent or one percent, LuLu?”

The rabbit raevan gave a small rumble of boredom. The boy knew that was never a good sign when it came to LuLu. Josh turned around to confront the testy frei. He saw that she was reaching over to a display rack; her dark complexioned hand was just barely pawing at the only support keeping the large triangle of soup cans standing. Josh huffed and tossed one of the cartons into his item basket. He gently pulled her away by the hood of her green raincoat. He held the slick emerald hued fabric in his grasp while he dragged the timid girl along and tried to recall just when he had bought this raincoat for her. He supposed his mom was spoiling her just as much as he was. “Come on.” LuLu wriggled slightly at the abrupt manhandling but otherwise complied with being led along. She was happy to see that they were leaving this part of the store. It was boring and cold... She hated it. Plus, this meant that they were that much closer to the…

“Toys.” Her fuzzy blond ears perked noticeably and focused in on her guardian’s voice. “After we look at the baking section we are going to the toys. Happy?” LuLu nodded and fluffed up in her oversized coat comfortably. Her mind was swirling with thoughts of princesses, ponies, and all the little things that usually made up five year old girl’s mind. Josh turned down the baking aisle and prepared to take on another torturous decision… baking flour or all purpose flour?

LuLu’s eyes explored the various boxes and cooking utensils which lined the aisle’s shelves. That one looked interesting. Her arm reached out at tapped delicately at a metal bowl. She enjoyed the pleasant ‘clink’ it produced and tapped her hand against it again in an attempt to reproduce that enrapturing tune. Her svelte fingers were about to make contact when a mysterious chilled glided down her half torso. LuLu’s ears fell back and she gave a minute shiver. The raevan had never felt this before. It was if she was being watched. She gaze drifted over her shoulder. Delightful purple met with lazy teal and Lulu’s chest began to flutter. It was someone like her! But… why was he staring at her so… lifelessly. Generally, people approached her. Was he sick? Was he dangerous?

LuLu felt herself floating lower. Her ribbon started to slide against the cool laminate floors. The raevan drifted until she felt her back press against Josh’s hip. She moved further back still trying to get out of the way of those cool, calculating eyes.

Josh turned about just in time to stumble over the clingy frei. “What is the matter-AUGH!” Josh flinched as he tripped over the furry eared roadblock behind him and the contents of his basket crashed on the ground. The only thing not strewn about the floor was the bag of flour in his hand. He looked up bleary eyed and caught sight of the male raevan and his guardian. A deep flush graced his cheeks as he tried to recollect himself, “H-hello there!”

Josh clung meekly onto Kinsley’s hand as he pulled himself up from the ground. “Thank you.” He brushed his clothes off and tried to fight off the blush that was attempting to consume his face. The boy examined the damage that was caused by his spill. Good, nothing was broken. His next worry was to see if LuLu had joined him during his tumble. Luckily, she was fine and dandy; however, she seemed a bit shaken. Josh noticed her staring at the other raevan and immediately understood why. “Um, yeah. LuLu is a bit… excitable. I’m Josh and it is a pleasure to meet you.” With his nerves calmed down, Josh’s face slipped into a warm, collected smile.

LuLu, on the other hand, was now trembling. The fall was a shock to her and the approaching strangers also served to throw off any security she once had. She bundled up in her raincoat and flipped up the large hood so that only the brown tips of her ears poked out from its depths. Josh walked in front of her and wrapped his hands securely around her shoulders. He spun her around so she was facing their new acquaintances. He spoke up sweetly with just the slightest hint of force, “Say hello LuLu. They are nice people.” The green mass of fabric shook side to side. “No.”

Josh was used to LuLu’s fits of terror. When he had first brought her home she was flipping out over everything, from a door to a washing machine. He remembered having to spend three hours trying to get her out from under a bed. Josh shook off those memories. To say the least, he had learned how to assuage her out of her shell… or in this case, her raincoat. His hands rubbed gentle circles on her shoulders as he pushed her forward. His voiced remained steady and soothing as he spoke little encouragements to her, “See Varun is nice. Say hello.” He peered up at Kinsey every so often to flick a smile at that indicated that everything was alright. Just the routine ‘introducing LuLu to anything and everything’.

Those two ears bottled up in that coat slipped out further into the open like two petite antennae emerging from a cocoon. LuLu murmured quietly then she repeated herself with more strength built into her chime-like voice, “Lu... Lu,” a slim hand emerged from one of the sleeves to poke where her chest was, “LuLu.” Just as quickly it recoiled back into the coat. She was still unsure of the other raevan.

Josh saw that this encounter was going to get nowhere fast if LuLu kept hiding behind her coat. It only seemed to be miffing the male raevan gradually and caused him needless stress. The boy’s hand slipped upwards like it had developed a mind of its own, smooth and calculating. It grasped onto her hood and tugged the obtrusive cloth down in one fluid motion. LuLu’s eyes squinted against the fluorescent lights and lowered into small purple slits. She released a protesting squeak from inside her throat as if it would somehow chastise her guardian’s actions. Her eyes adjusted to the burst of light and focused on Varun’s face. Her gaze then lowered to the rest of his half torso to appraise him.

Pale skin, dark hair, loud voice, demanding attitude.

She did not like this raevan so far. She opened her mouth and a reply fell from her lips, “Varun is scary.” Josh went slack jawed. Well, that was quite obvious already; LuLu was frightened by Varun. He tried to tease more of an answer from his fidgety raevan. “Why is Varun scary. He hasn’t done anything.” LuLu’s eyes crinkled contemplatively and her voice rung out, “Too much. Too different.” She peeked up at her guardian as if she was talking to Varun through him. She wasn’t used to raevan’s like him. The others she had met were more open and made a move to be inviting. Varun… had not.

LuLu stayed in a tight little green bundle floating in front of Varun. Every so often she would wring her hands for the little feeling of relief it gave her. Her face was now visible but she had not fully opened up to the raevan across from her; though, with his frill-like wings tucked away and his impassive voice neatly in place, the raevan had to admit that he was less scary now.

The female frei had worked up the courage to talk directly to Varun. He was starting to show that familiar warmth and it served to work up some bravery in her petite chest. LuLu’s tone was slow and contemplative as she spoke, “Different. But Varun is more familiar now.” She floated forward slightly and examined him a bit more closely as if she was examining a totally new specimen now. Her eyes widened ever so slightly in wonder. The small frei enjoyed the clothing he wore. It was red and green. She loved those colors. “More pleasant now.” Perhaps, she could ask where he had bought them?

Her hand worked its way out of her coat and ghosted over the scales of his vest. “From where?"

Josh chuckled softly at the two raevans and busied himself with picking up the rest of the scattered groceries on the floor. Nearby, LuLu mustered up enough willpower to gently touch her raevan counterpart’s clothing. It felt smooth… armor like. It was so different from her own clothing, even different the dresses that Josh bought for her. Her inquisitive eyes fell on his fins again and their undulating movements. They opened and closed on his body like small yellow fans. How peculiar. LuLu’s fear appeared to have given way to a sort of languid curiosity.

Her slow examination continued as Josh placed the last items in his basket. He flipped a few locks of hair from his eyes and looked down at his watch. “AH!” He was horrified to see that LuLu and he had managed to waste two hours at the store. He turned to Kinsey and the two raevans with a sudden frenzy in his motions. “I’m sorry I have to cut this play date a bit short. We should have been home an hour ago.” He smiled pleasantly at Kinsey then gave the same smile to Varun. His voice was smooth as he spoke, “Again, it was a pleasure.” His hand went for his back pocket and he procured his orange wallet. Josh tugged a small card from it and handed it to Kinsey. “Call sometime and we can set up a proper visit for these two. I would love to see you two again.” He reached for LuLu’s hand and led her towards the store’s check out.

LuLu turned around briefly and chirped to Varun before she was completely whisked away, “Varun is different but interesting. Want to meet again.” The frei was a bit upset that her observation of the leviathan raevan was cut short; however, she waved goodbye politely with Josh as she was hurried away.