Welcome to Gaia! ::

”This will be awesome. I haven’t been out shopping for myself in so long. And we need to get you some cool clothes Ty. I don’t know what the fashion is down under—“

”Simplicity”, he said with a smirk at his half-sister as they pulled in the parking spot. He now knew what really got the Kitten talkative.

”—but up here” she continued without a pause, ”you need to accessorize and look hot. You talk about the ladies all the time. Well let’s make the Gaian ladies crazy."

”Okay – but I think I need some bras or something.” Ty watched the butt of a very sexy brunette swaying into a Victoria’s Secret. That store would DEFINITELY be one in which he would stop.

Yuurei turned off the ignition and stepped out from behind the driver’s seat. In a tank top and shorts, she was happy their car had a/c, but at the outdoor mall the stores were the only refuge from the heat. This would definitely be an interesting outing, she realized, looking around the busy mall. Smiling and tossing her blonde hair over her shoulders, she waited for Lu and Ty to get out of the car too.

Ty and Lucia were still bickering when they got up to Rei. ”Can you get her to stop?!” Ty asked, grinning at Yuu. Pretending to pout as Lucia swatted at him Ty jumped up on the curb.

”YOU!” The kitten giggled lightly and chased Ty as he ran awkwardly. Lucia almost bumped into Ty as he stopped quickly right before the Victoria’s Secret window. ”Hey! You won’t find anything in there!”

”You’re such a pervert Ty!” Yuurei called as she caught up with them. But Lucia wasn’t paying attention. Yuurei and Ty were taken aback as Lucia, who a moment before had been looking through the window, pulled open the door and flew into the store. Yuurei didn’t know what she wanted from there, unless there was a cool bra, or something in their Pink line of clothing that she wanted.

Ty grinned broadly and pulled open the door for his sister. ”After you!” he said teasing. Now to find that red head with the sweet a**. Or was it a blonde? Eff it! He’d be able to find someone.

Yuurei looked for where Lucia had floated to. ”Lucia?!” she called. An angry ”SHHHHHHH!” silenced her. ”What’s wrong? Why are you shhing m—“ the blonde cut herself off as she spotted what must have drawn the Kitten in. A Rose. Well not any rose. A rose frei. Vyn. The dark raevan was standing at the counter with an item in hand – either purchasing or returning something. ”You should talk to her.” Yuurei knew that she had also attacked her friend. But she had to start talking in order to know how Vyn felt. Slipping her hand in the crook of the Kitten’s elbow, she walked up, going Lucia’s pace. ”Lets wait here; there’s no way she’ll miss you” She pulled the frei to a stop, and urged her to look at whatever item they were near – their perfumes – rather than stare. When Vyn turned around to leave the counter, they’d be right in front of her.

The kitten’s breath was caught in her throat at she accidentally caught Vyn’s eye. She blinked a few times, and glanced down at the table of scented sprays. She shouldn’t have come in here, Lucia realized. She didn’t want anything. She wanted to go home. She wanted to see Zul. He’d help her. This sucked. Her black hair fell in her face as she was staring at the display.

But Zul wasn’t here.

Suddenly a hand was over hers. Her eyes snapped to it and then flicked up to its owner.

Yuurei smiled as Lucia’s violet eyes laid on her. ”I’m sure she’ll just be happy you’re okay. It’ll take a little. But you won’t know how she feels unless you talk to her.” The blonde glanced over at the crimson-haired raevan. It had been a while since she had seen Vyn too. ”You should go up to her.”

She was doing better, she thought, watching as Lucia took a few deep breaths and began floating slowly, hesitantly, towards her friend. This guardian thing wasn’t all it was cracked up to be, but maybe the blow to the head did the both of them some good.

Inside the frei was scared. She . . . didn’t know how Vyn would react. Not that she’d ever seen her friend angry before, but . . . she just didn’t know. Her hair in her face, the dark Kitten floated over to her friend. Lucia floated lower now, naturally, than she had before. She was shorter than her friend, and her belt buckle occasionally tinked along the floor as she moved. The sound that had brought her comfort when she had just regained control over her body was now a daily reminder of – many things. What could happen if she wasn’t careful. That she was, in fact, in control. And what she did to her friends. The tinks as she bobbed towards Vyn both comforted her and scared her.

Floating behind the Rose and to the right, Lucia was sure that she had noticed her closer presence. With her hair in her face, Lucia looked like a fallen beauty. Her voice was soft and a little hoarse as she spoke.

”Hello, Vyn.”

She bit her lip, blinked, and noticed what was in the salesgirl’s hands. ”That looks way too small for you.”

She closed her eyes briefly, waiting for the lashing, for the anger, for the scream that would stand her hair up and run chills up her spine. She didn’t know what to do, and again, she wanted to just flee.

Lucia was quiet and very internal as Vyn was so cold with her, replying to her without even a hello, as if they were passing strangers and Lu had had the audacity to comment on the Rose's choice of size. The kitten blinked back emotions. She didn't know what to think. She maybe would have preferred a screaming retaliation to this...nothing.

And then she was dismissed. Vyn turned away from her and towards the woman who knew nothing about her friend. She bit her lip and chewed on it a little. Holding the buckle, she didn't even realize she was making it tink so rapidly. Her wrist was flicking it back and forth at a rapid pace.

Lucia could see her friend getting frustrated with the weird sizing. She could tell, pretty well, what size Vyn should get, but she wasn't going to interrupt her. She didn't want any more ire directed her way.

Just when Lucia was about to turn away and leave Vyn to the sizing that she'd have to do with the salesgirl, Vyn stopped the transaction, indicating she wanted to speak to her. Not as a friend. She'd stopped herself from saying that. But to her.

Lucia's eyes flicked up to Vyn's face, almost hopefully before she saw the look on it. The forced braveness. The desire to leave. The frustration and anger. It was all there on the Rose's pretty features.

Her eyes downcast quickly again. She nodded at the "let's talk" and only knew where to follow by watching the jagged ribbon float above the floor. "I don't hate you," she said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. She didn't know if Vyn would remember the question she had asked Lucia in her letter from Japan, but the Kitten certainly did.

"I --" she didn't know whether or not to say it out loud. In an area like this. "I was being possessed. Controlled. By someone else."

Her eyes flicked up nervously and then went back to the floor. She knew they were in the store still, but not in what section. "I never would have. I fought so hard." She blinked her eyes, silent tears creeping out as she remember the night in the subway station. "I'm so sorry." She blinked and drew in a heavy breath. She hadn't given Vyn time to speak. And now she waited for the verbal punches. She had stood her ground with Rivener, but with Vyn it was different. Maybe it was because Ty wasn't here. Maybe it was because she missed Zul, and his reassuring words weren't reverberating so loudly in her head anymore. Maybe she didn't know.

Lucia's ears flattened back at the scolding. She knew she had hurt her friend, but hearing her say it. And the accusation that she hadn't been sorry at the time. It killed her. And then the questions came. And came. And the Kitten let out a slow breath.

"I can travel to another world - full of spirits, or souls. I don't anymore, but I was there. I heard a girl crying, so I went to see what was wrong, but it was a trick. A guy who used to kill people here was making the sound, and he went inside me and controlled me. I couldn't do anything. I tried to talk to him. I tried to scream at him. I tried to push him out. But he was too strong. I fought the whole time." Lucia looked down and slowly sank to the floor, hoping that Vyn would join her. It was a long story. It wasn't easy for her to tell.

"He hurt raevans -- you, Riv, Delia, LuLu, Prajna. And he hurt people. I thought I killed Yuurei." She glanced towards the woman who was currently over with her brother. "I - I hurt other people too. Or he did -- he made me Vyn. I fought so hard when he was making me. I-" The frei trailed off slightly. "Zul - do you know him? He saved me. He somehow saw that Brian was controlling me. That he was making me do these things. And then he killed him. I felt like I was dying. I wanted to die."

Lucia was staring at the ground. It was more remembering than telling. She would have to ask Zul what happened. How he managed to get rid of Brian. How he knew there was a Brian. Most of that night was a fog in her memory. The rest of it she just wanted to forget.

And as Vyn settled beside her, the kitten felt a little hope. Maybe, since she was willing to listen. Maybe she'd also be willing to try to understand. The frei didn't want to look at the expression on her elder's face. Lucia bit her lip and waited for Vyn's response.

Lucia nodded slowly at the first question. He was dead. That much the kitten was sure of. She had not seen it. She had not been conscious. But his reassurances made her know the truth. Brian Sparks would never return. And then a delicate hand was resting on her shoulder. And the breath that the frei had unknowingly been holding was released. She gently pressed her warm cheek against her friend's hand, going slowly. Non threatening. But that, it seemed, was the rose's goal too. Slowly. Non threatening. And a little tentative.

Her cheek was cool against Vyn's hand. "He's gone." Lucia sighed softly. A little relieved and a little scared. What if she hurt Vyn again? She wouldn't let her guard down completely, the frei decided. But it was good to know the rose was willing to try. Lucia was stuck a bit. Desperate for forgiveness and unwilling to risk her friend by getting close again.

Slowly, as Vyn moved her head up, Lucia let out a breath. It wasn't a comfortable feeling, someone positioning her head. She didn't like it. But she was silent, as she could tell it was not done in violence. The cool hand lay on her jaw as the Rose spoke. Lucia nodded after her face was released.

She did too. That was plain in her actions, in her letter, in her tone. She didn't want to lose so close a friend. Even if it was no longer as close a relationship. Biting her lip her eyes followed Vyn's motions. What she sent?

The Kitten pursed her lips into a sad smile when she saw the bracelet. She could fill in the blank easily enough about why the frei wasn't wearing it.

Lucia's head cocked to the side slightly. She didn't remember putting the necklace on her, and if she did, there certainly wasn't any big deal made of it, but if Vyn wanted her to, she would put the bracelet on her wrist.

Lucia nodded, still silent. Her hands reached out and her fingers easily positioned the clasp and let it close, sealing the ornament around the pale wrist. She was quiet, even when she said, "Thanks. For being willing to forgive."

Lucia nodded quietly. She had been strong lately. She knew, but "You'd do it. You'd have to." She looked sadly at her friend, but without regret. Even if Vyn didn't understand what she meant, it was fine. She couldn't let it sit as it was. It wasn't her fault, but she just could not let people think she was the one attacking people. She couldn't lose her friends because of it. It would make it so Brian won. So she was resolved. Now that she was okay with Vyn. And with Delia.

"They have this cool measuring tape that can figure that out for you. But I'd bet your a 36 B or C." Lucia smiled and floated upwards, pulling Vyn up the rest of the way. "And don't let her push you around! Remember she sells it for a living and has seen everything and answered every question a million times before." Spotting Yuurei and Ty waiting, she motioned to them. "That's Ty, my guardian's brother. He's kinda hunky. And he has a crazy cool accent. You have stuff to do, obviously, but maybe once you have time you can come by, meet him, and hang out."

Lucia looked at Vyn with a small nod. She could get the hint. And the tension was certainly still there. "Yeah, you have my number." Lucia let out a small breath and placed a smile on her face. "I'll talk to you later." And she floated towards her guardian and Ty. With a jerk of her head towards the exit Lucia led the way outside.

It wasn't really the understanding reunion she had wanted. The space between them was very obvious. But if they were to be friends, she knew it would take time. Letting out a sigh Lucia went and leaned against the car, her head down. Before she knew it, a warm hand was on her shoulder. Lifting up her eyes, the faces of an understanding Ty and a forgiving Yuurei were before her.

Nodding slightly, she placed her own hand on Ty's. "Now about your clothes..."