Welcome to Gaia! ::

It seemed Jiro really couldn't go out without support just yet, as he was wandering around with Hirome, his fingers curled into her fur to keep his balance. It also wasn't often that he was in Gaia. Typically, he stayed at home, but home wasn't exactly safe anymore, was it? He almost stumbled a bit but Hirome was fast and caught her master with ease, her large head having shifted just in time. Her soulful eyes watched her Master with worry in her gaze. He had come to her side early that morning, looking better than what she had seen of him three days ago, but not looking completely back to rights. At first, she had thought that he was going to feed her and the other small group of pets Jiro kept there and then toddle back to bed, as he had done for the past week. Imagine her shock when he patted her on the head and then steered her out of the large and comfortable shed they resided in and out into the open air. It was still early in the morning! Why was he wanting to go out?

They had actually left home without telling anyone, another thing that made Hirome concerned. Jiro's condition was not yet stable and he was still critical. But leave it up tot he hard headed Tale to never stay put though he knew better. So what better thing to do than to go shopping? He could see if there was anything of interest there anyway. And that's how they came to be where they were, carefully picking their way through the stalls. Jiro was doing his best to not show that he wasn't feeling good, not wanting people to look at him with worry.

That would have just been annoying. But as they wandered, Jiro noticed someone who looked like someone he knew. Kinda reminded him of Viddy, but Viddy wasn't that big last time he had seen her. How long had it been since he had seen her... way too long. But since he wasn't sure, he gently had Hirome move him over to the stall where she was at and stand beside her, looking at the trinkets curiously. "I still owe you a trinket, I think..."

He nearly fell over when she jumped back so quickly, not truly expecting her to freak out like she did, though if he thought about it, he should have known better. Blinking a bit, he smiled gently when he saw she figured out who he was, just as he figured out it really was Viddy. She had definately gotten bigger as well! When did this happen, he couldn't help but wonder. "I'm sorry, Viddy. I did not mean to frighten you." His fingers moved quickly and caught the fan she had dropped, spun it and then set it back down again.

"It's always good to see you, my friend." His eyes looked her over a couple times as well. Yes, it was definately her. Made him glad it was her and not some random stranger. He didn't do well with embarassment. Hugging her back, knowing that she knew he was unwell with how gently she did so, he smiled a crooked grin. "I've been better, but I'm all right I suppose... how about you? You don't look your usual happy self either."

The pout was cute and his grin widened before he shrugged. "I have no idea. Even though I'm taller, I'm still younger than you hehe so I suppose it makes up for something."

"I know that feeling rather well..." He was used to being jarred from hsi thoughts by a family member who had been trying to get his attention for the past half hour. Sometimes, when Jiro zoned, he blocked out everything. When she complimented him on the way he caught the fan, he gently shrugged it off cause it was nothing, but he didn't miss the hitch in her voice. Something had happened to her as well...

He was slightly curious why she added God to her sentence, but it wasn't like he was bothered by it. He was used to hearing much worse either said by his own mouth or by his brothers. It was just interesting to hear it coming from her. "It definately has been a long while, yes." And by now, he didn't really complain much if he was hugged. There were a lot of reasons behind it and it was all Khia's fault... though he wasn't angry about that. "Yes... as it were." His nose wrinkled slightly and he shifted a bit to become more comfortable before he looked at her calmly. She was his friend, after all, so it wouldn't kill him to tell her. "Someone tried to kill me... would have worked if it hadn't been for one of my brothers hearing my cry and coming to help me out... my parents are more worried than ever... but the attack only leaves me with more questions than I had before." His eyes grew heavy as he looked down at the other fans as he worked on pulling his thoughts together. He wished he knew why..what he was... why the Other side of him was so bad. But there was no one to give him any answers and each day only made him more frustrated and angry. "I don't see why I would be offended by telling you. We're friends, are we not?"

"Off?" Looking back over at her again when she said that, he couldn't help but be concerned. Though they didn't get to see each other a lot, he did care about her and he thought of her often. "Would you like to talk about it? I know it must be upsetting, but sometimes.. it's good to just get sadness off your chest a bit by sharing it with someone willing to listen. And I'm willing to listen anytime you need me, Viddy..."

"Heh well being taller is nice... though now my nickname is Imp and no longer Chibi. But it works out either way, I suppose..." It was only until he straightened, though it hurt, and looked at her this way did he see that he really was taller than her. Wow... he was so used to being towered over by everyone: Shouhin, Yuhin, his brothers and especially Khia so he often forgot how he might be taller than other people. "A few days ago... I think. I was asleep when it happened.. the transformation woke me up. When did you grow?" Something about how comfortable she was wandering around told him she had been bigger for some time.

It wasn't the typical thing, this he knew. From what Shouhin said, people saying 'Oh I was attacked in my sleep' would make people a bit.. startled, to say the least. But to him, there was no point in lying about it. He didn't get sick as often as a person would think so that was never an issue with him. Nodding lightly, he lightly rubbed at the bandage over his chest, he gave a weak smirk. "Yes... to both questions. It was a rather sudden thing... I was asleep and then this.. sudden horrible pressure in my chest... It took me awhile to figure out what was going on and by then I had already blacked out. From what my brother told me..." He was quiet for a bit longer before he nodded, his eyes narrowing in thought. "Yes... Luc-nii had captured them before they could even attempt to get away. Right now there somewhere in my house... but Shouhin said its best I don't know."

When she said that he might now wish to speak of it, he chuckled and looked at her. "Why would I want to hide it? It's not an easy topic but if I can't talk about that, then can I really speak of anything else, even if it's less serious?" But he stopped speaking about himself when she started talking about hers. In his mind, that was more important than what he had just gone through. He would survive and it was over, for the most part. It would take time to make it fade away, but he could get over it. Right now, Viddy was suffering and he didn't know how long that suffering would last. The change of topic made him blink for a second before he chuckled. "Well, girls aren't meant to be tall... right? But I think you're perfect as you are." Reaching out hesitantly, he tugged lightly on her braid. "Ah yes, I remember that playdate. That's how I also recall I owe you a charm from me... sorry it's been taking so long..."

Nodding and murmuring an always to her request, because he would no matter what it was, he followed her away from the shop. He was positive the last thing he wanted to do was speak in front of strangers. Whistling to Hirome to get her to follow them and keep him upright, he sank down next to her on the bench with a soft sigh of relief before focusing all his attention on her. And so he let her speak at her own pace, never once asking any questions or attempting to prod her into speaking if she faltered or stopped. This was hard to say... and he knew it needed to be done at her pace or it wouldn't be done at all.

But his heart went out to her and he felt an odd sense of upset race through him. He wanted to protect her from her sadness but... this involved her family and was something that couldn't be easily fixed until the cause was found. His eyes gentle, he placed his hands over hers and gave it a tender squeeze. "I would feel the same way as you if it were me... I doubt I would be able to be calm about it, especially since it's your daddy that's acting out of sorts... At least, for right now, you're safe at your aunt's house until your parents can make sense of what's going on..." Looking down at the ground for a moment, his mind was working, as it usually tended to be doing. "Frustration is normal... but right now, your mom is worried about your safety. Sometimes, it seems that there's nothing we can do to help it.. but I'm sure that it isn't falling apart... though I'm sure it does feel that way. When it's time for you to know, you will know. That's what Shouhin says a lot.. he said it when he told me I'm not allowed to go find those who hurt me to ask them questions... it's not time yet." He had to stop with a purse of his lips. Damn, he really sucked at this comforting thing. "Don't worry, Viddy. If you need me for anything, please.. let me know and I will do everything I can to help you... and sometimes, crying isn't a bad thing to do..."

"Yes, I'll be all right... though I'm moving too soon afterwards, so my parents say, but I was getting a bit edgy from being inside and needed to get out. Today's a good day indeed cause I ran into you!" His house was about seven stories tall.. but that didn't mean much. The magical enchantments in that house were many and vast so it was impossible to tell how many rooms it truly had. Though he liked to sit on the staircase til it moved sometimes. One day, he'd take Viddy over to his house if she wanted to go. "Are you sure? I haven't seen any of the other Tales int he longest.. at least, the ones I know. The only other one I see is Khia and he's way taller than anyone! So are girls getting as tall as Khia?" His eyes widened a bit as he shook his head. "I think I'd be frightened if they were that tall..." He allowed her to take back her hair, grinning a bit. "Point." He knew they were playing a game and he was having fun with it.

His face showed a deeper sense of worry the more that she spoke. It was obvious she wanted to cry and let out all her pent up sadness and he knew that holding it in this much did nothing for her in the end. "Vidya..." His fingers brushed across her cheek lightly before he pulled her into a hug, pressing his chin to the top of her head. Jiro was not a cuddly person.. nor did he ever do things like this. But Viddy needed the comfort from someone else and if he could be of a help to her, he wanted to do so for her. "Even if it will be all right soon, and I'm sure it will, no one will fault you for crying." His gloved fingertips slipped over her braid gently. "I'm not going to tell anyone if you do.. it's nothing to be ashamed of.... soon, everything will go back to how it was before, I know it will. You'll be happy and carefree again. But.. sorrow happens to everyone.. it's how we deal with it that'll make us stronger or weaker in the end... Go ahead and cry for now, Viddy... you'll feel better once it's out of your system..." He hesitated for a moment before he spoke again. "If it doesn't, you can hit me and I'll buy you something to eat hehe..."

Nodding, since they had laid out their issues, he knew that they both seriously needed to just get away from everything. Finding a place that wasn't home and doing something else was oftentimes amazing on stressed nerves. hell, he definately felt better now since he had run into Viddy today. "I'm glad you're feeling better.. it makes me happy to know this." The mention of Khia made his lips twitch into a smirk. "You should see him sometime... he's just.. tall. I have to look up a lot when I see him and it can put a strain on my neck.. but that's only if he's standing straight up heh. But I haven't seen any of the other girls, just you, so I can't really deny or confirm such a thing. But if you truly are, maybe there's a reason behind it or maybe you'll have a growth spurt and get taller sometime soon heh." Actually, the point he had stated meant she had earned a point against him and his headwings shifted at the look she had given him. Had she read that wrong? It was highly possible.

The gasp made him shift his head slightly, wondering ifshe was okay. It wasn't like she had never been hugged before, right? So she should be used to the feeling. But he didn't exactly recall that she did all the hugging. Especially with him but then again, he was not the huggy type in the beginning so it was something he just didn't recall. Even though he realized a bit later she was being extra gentle with him because of his energies, he only chuckled and pulled her a bit closer. "Don't worry about my wounds... You can hold on as tightly as you need to." A little part on his part was nothing if he could make Viddy feel better for once. But as he listened to the sounds of her soft breathing and taking note of how it started to clear up, he knew she wouldn't be crying. Viddy was such a strong girl in so many ways and he admired that about her. It would be all right... he kept stroking her braid and her back in a soothing amnner, working on calming her shaking. "There's no need for thanks... Ijust wish to help where I can..."

The question had been one he hadn't been expecting at that moment but he smiled. Her memory was still as sharp as ever and he nodded. "Hai hai, seems I'll be doing that instead. I can still teach you Japanese. I have no problem with that."

Another soft chuckle escaped his lips at the thought of her wandering around with a step ladder. Actually, the thought amused him so much, he covered his mouth to try to muffle his giggles. "You won't need to go to such extremes, I don't think. He usually walks about on all fours so you won't need it."

He had done a lot of changing over the time they had been apart. A lot of things had happened to him, forcing him in small or large ways to change the way he thought about certain things or how he acted in general. In a majority of ways, he was still the same.. just changed in some ways others would deem important. Feeling her hug him more tightly, he was glad she stopped treating him like a china doll. If only she knew all the crap he had gone through, then she probably wouldn't have worried! He had been through so much worse than a simple hug from a good friend. It felt nice to hold her this way... just because he had never hugged her of his own free will before.

"Hai hai.. I'll continue to teach you..." Settling back carefully as she leaned back, he folded his hands into his sleeves and listened to her list of the words she remember, smiling at how she remembered all but the full meaning of the last one. "You got it all right. Oyasumi nasai means good night or sleep well. You did very well to remember what I taught you!" And he was proud of the fact she remembered them so well. "Let me think.. what else should you know? There's Hajimemashite, which means it's a pleasure to meet you. Iie, which is spelled with two i's and an e, means no. Sumimasen means I'm sorry in a more formal sense. Gomen nasai is the common way to say sorry. Watashi means I, anata has many meanings, but when I hear it, it means 'Honey'. it's a romantic term between mated couples...

"Think you have all that?"