Welcome to Gaia! ::

“I’ll be back in an hour or so, Xiu” said Hazeline stopping before the Lab. “Call me if there’s anything important, alright?”

“I will, Hazeline. Thank you and have a good time at the conference,” said Xiu as he waved his guardian off. Hazeline nodded and gave her car’s horn a final toot before driving off.

Left alone before the Lab, Xiu paused to give the building a thoughtful glance. The last time he had been here was during his check up with Dr. Tsu and Xiu had found the Doctor’s raevan, Zave, a likable raevan enough. Xiu wondered if he’d be able to meet Zave again today. Well, he had come with the intention of looking at some of Tsu’s medical books (and perhaps borrow them if the doctor would let him) so the chances of meeting the Doctor and his charge seemed plausible enough.

He might even meet Dr. Kyou if he was lucky…

Xiu cringed. The last he had remembered of Dr. Kyou was of the Doctor withdrawing a syringe full of his blood and testing it for the virus. The white raevan felt a pang of guilt. The Doctor had been hurt during the outbreak of the virus and yet…Xiu had never called back to ask how the Doctor was doing. At least Lazarus had come over to apologize to Hazeline...

Lazarus…

Xiu felt a moment’s uncertainty as the image of Lazarus came before him. He wondered if he’d meet the Sigel today. Lazarus lived in the Lab after all and Christmas had been a long time ago…

Floating into the Lab’s lobby, Xiu was surprised to find it rather empty. But the Lab was open wasn’t it? He’d just flown into the building after all. Xiu wondered if he should make his way to Tsu’s office. He knew the way after all…

But that would be almost intruding wouldn’t it? Perhaps he had better wait for someone to come by and state his business, that seemed more appropriate at least. Thus making up his mind, Xiu floated patiently by the lobby’s front desk in the hopes of meeting one of the staff soon…

Well…he had been waiting for a good ten minutes now and there was no sight of anyone…yet. Xiu folded his arms and gave his lips a thoughtful purse. Perhaps he should have called after all. It was just that…it seemed like a good idea at that time, Hazeline passing through the Lab on the way to her convention and in the excitement, Xiu had never assumed that the Lab could be this quiet.

The opening of a door followed by the sound of rustling paper made the white frei turned around and Xiu was surprised to see that it belonged to Lazarus. Feeling intimidated by the impressive Sigel all of a sudden, Xiu flared his wings a little. He had never been alone with Lazarus before. Well…theoretically he had but Lazarus had pretty much ignored him when he was a newborn.

When the Sigel enquired his purpose of being there, Xiu was…for a moment, stunned. “Err…well…Hazeline was passing by and I thought I’d like to take a look at the medical books here and perhaps…borrow some, if I may…,” said Xiu feeling silly. What were the chances of them letting him have a look at them after all? Medical books were expensive and only selected stores sold them.. Feeling embarrassed, Xiu flicked his wings a little. “And uhh…Hazeline wanted to get rid of these,”

Oh goodness…did he really say that?

“I-I meant…Hazeline thinks that there’s enough cookies at home to last us a lifetime and uhh… I brought some over…,” said Xiu lifting up a bag containing some unopened cookie bottles. There had been simply too many arriving from various friends and family that Xiu suspected most were going to end up uneaten or thrown away. “ Thought the Lab might like them… Dr. Kyou likes sweet things, right?” enquired Xiu recalling the Doctor’s fondness of sweet things during his stay in the Lab. “Errr…has he been well?”

Xiu watched as Lazarus shifted his hold on the stack of papers to make room for the bag of cookies. It was almost an art really to be able to manage such a huge pile of papers in one hand while holding onto the bag with the other. Xiu was about to offer the Sigel help when Lazarus smiled and said that the Doctor was resting in his room and whether Xiu had wanted to see him.

“Oh no, please, I would not want him disturbed,” said Xiu hurriedly with a shake of his head lest Lazarus decided to wake the Doctor up. The poor Doctor probably needed all the sleep time he could get if judging by the sparse way he slept during his search for the cure was any indication.

“And oh dear, that is a shame,” said Xiu with a slight droop of his wings at the mention of Tsu being away. He was rather hoping that he’d be able to meet Zave again. “Perhaps I shall try another day then; maybe call before coming in,” said Xiu.

Lazarus however, seemed to have other things on his mind and enquired about Hazeline. Xiu was surprised. The Sigel seemed…nervous.

… … …
Lazarus was not…afraid of Hazeline was he? Sure, the young woman might be a little stiff and old fashioned but…Hazeline wasn’t exactly an intimidating person. Xiu found himself staring oddly at Lazarus.

“Hazeline is not here at the moment, Lazarus,” said Xiu politely. “She dropped me off here on the way to a convention on plants. Were you hoping to speak with her or something? She’d be back in, give or take an hour but… is there anything I could…help you with to pass the time for the moment?” said Xiu sheepishly. “I forgot to bring my book along and I simply can’t do nothing…,”

Xiu tilted his head a little as a sigh of what was possibly relief escaped Lazarus’ lips when he knew that Hazeline was not around. Was the Sigel really that uncomfortable with Hazeline? Well… Xiu guessed that it couldn’t be helped. Hazeline in turn was also a little stiff around Lazarus. For a moment the white frei was torn between his guardian and his friend. Matters such as these were aggravating!

Xiu frown and only realized that he had been staring at the Sigel when Lazarus had made eye contact with him. Lazarus had looked a little…sheepish? Immediately the white frei found himself looking away embarrassedly as well. Oh dear… he had let his thoughts wander again… Xiu wondered if the Sigel thought him odd.

Apparently not, for as soon as he had turned his gaze away, Lazarus had asked if he’d like a visit to the market street. Xiu turned to Lazarus with a sheepish smile. “That sounds wonderful, Lazarus. I’ve never been to the park and the ocean here before. How about this though; let me take those cookies to the kitchen? I know the way well enough and we could meet again in the lobby,” Xiu offered with a smile. “No point in going twice the distance after all….,”

The trip down to the kitchen was nostalgic to say the least. The white frei gave his wings a thoughtful flick as he floated down the empty corridor to the kitchen. Had it really been four months since the virus outbreak? It seemed impossible to believe that all that had happened last year. The hallway looked the same, the kitchen, when Xiu entered, smelled the same and…as Xiu placed the bag of cookies down and took the oranges out, even the placement of the kitchen’s utensils were the same. Odd how one came to remember such small details…

Or perhaps it was just him….

That was a troubling thought…

Floating out of the kitchen, Xiu noticed that Lazarus was already in the lobby. Hastening the last couple of steps, Xiu gave a small wave as he neared the Sigel. Lazarus seemed to be interested in the view of the street outside. Well, it seemed like a nice day outside and there were many gaians already out and about.

“Hey, did you wait long?” enquired Xiu with an apologetic smile. “I was…just thinking how...everything still looks the same but…well…different at the same time. Err…I’m older for one thing,” said Xiu with a sheepish laugh. “Sorry, a moment of nostalgia, Lazarus. Oh gosh, I’m behaving like an old man and I’m not even two years old…,” said Xiu with a shake of his head.

“But that aside, shall we head out?” said Xiu looking eagerly at the crowds of humans walking on the streets outside. Hey, perhaps he could even snag an early lunch. That would save time, definitely.

Floating to the Lab’s entrance, Xiu followed Lazarus down to Market Street; occasionally snagging a bite of innocence from passersby. It was good feeding and the white frei was soon feeling rather contented and possibly a little sleepy. But Lazarus was good company Xiu found himself floating rather contentedly beside the fiery Sigel. True, there was the occasional stare from the humans but Xiu ignored them. He was getting used to it a little now and as long as they were not pointing and throwing rude remarks, the white frei could possibly ignore them well enough. Turning to Lazarus, Xiu chuckled. “So…this is how you spend your days, Lazarus? Healthy air, great scenery, a wonderful …err…nevermind,” said Xiu realizing that he’d almost said ‘banquet selection’. “Err…fresh air and beautiful scenery, yes…,”

“Hey, what a coincidence! I often help with the groceries as well,” said Xiu with a soft chuckle. “It’s fun and…it has improved my mathematics by leaps and bounds; particularly in the subtracting department,” said Xiu with a shake of his head. Honestly, who’d thought that food items could cost so much….

The white frei was glad that he did not need to feed like the humans do. True, the blood consumption had cost a pretty penny but it was only once a year and Hazeline had managed to obtain it from the lab. Xiu wondered if there was a way to lessen that expenditure a little. Perhaps he should get himself a job to help supplement that…

Lazarus had by this time moved on to describing Market Street and Xiu looked with interest at the direction indicated by the Sigel; particularly in the direction of the park. Parks were great places to be in for a quiet read. Xiu half wished that he’d be able to visit the park someday. Perhaps sometime in the future with Hazeline? That seemed like a nice idea.


They had entered Market Street by then and the ‘street’ was even more crowded than it had looked from the distance. There were people and wares everywhere ranging from toys for the very young to home made remedies for the very old. Xiu watched with interest as a trinket seller skillfully carved the names of buyers onto items such as keychains, mugs, doorsigns and wooden whistles. There were also a wide selection of foodstalls displaying their goods and smells, both tantalizing and offensive waffled through the busy street. Lazarus had stopped by to admire some of the vibrantly coloured fruits for sale.

Sensing a potential customer, the fruits seller had immediately offered the two Raevans a slice. Xiu shook his head politely. Eating human food was not something the white raevan particularly enjoyed but perhaps the Sigel would. Xiu waited while the woman offered the Sigel a taste of the peach she had just sliced.

Well, this was certainly unexpected. One moment the Sigel was quietly enjoying a slice of peach and the next he was dragging Xiu away from the fruit seller by the wrist. The white frei flared his wings instinctively and winced as he felt the Sigel’s firm grip upon his wrist. Obviously Lazarus was pretty desperate to get away from said seller as the Sigel had not once spared her a backward glance. Instead, the Sigel had opted to push his way through the crowded street. It was all a little embarrassing really. People were staring at the two raevans as they made their way through the crowd and away from the fruit seller like some kind of fugitives…or something.

Once they were quite a safe distance away from the fruit seller and her expensive peaches, Lazarus had slowed down sufficiently to catch his breath. The white frei was feeling a little breathless himself; having had to tow along behind the Sigel as he was being led by the wrist. Lazarus must have noticed this as well as he’d immediately released his hold and looking embarrassed, apologized to the white frei.

“N-No…think nothing of it, Lazarus,” said Xiu withdrawing his hand from the Sigel’s grip. Rubbing it a little, Xiu shifted his wings slightly before folding them once more. “I-I guess those fruits were a little expensive…,” ventured the white frei uncertainly. He had never bought peaches before so the definition of expensive for said fruit was a little beyond the white raevan. But the look of Lazarus face when he had been told of the fruit’s price was enough to convince Xiu that the fruit was very expensive.

But surely they were not going to head back so soon just because of a couple of fruits, right? There was still half an hour before Hazeline was due to pick him up. Scanning the street, Xiu then pointed to another lane leading off towards the park. “Perhaps…we could take that route then, Lazarus?” suggested the white raevan.