Welcome to Gaia! ::

Josh breathed in deeply and let out a sigh as he stretched his arms above his head. It was soothing here, it always had been. Something about the countryside always seemed so relaxing to the boy and it managed to put him in another state of mind. Josh could never put his finger on just what it was though. The boy breathed in the surrounding air once more. It smelled like a mix of fresh hay and flowers with some other warm underlying tone mixed in. The aroma oozed over him like sweet honey leaving his senses muddled and fuzzy.The County Fair was a well measured dose of medicine that would sooth the boy's nerves perfectly. This was just what he needed to forget any drama that remained at home. He needed a moment away from everything.

LuLu did not know what to make of this new place. It seemed... other worldly. She was accustomed to the suburbs that entrenched their cookie cutter house and the metal buildings that towered over them further in town. Aekea was a modern metropolis. This place, the country side, was something entirely different. However, for once, the change was not so bad. The frei never could have imagined that the musty, stale atmosphere of Aekea could give way to something so placid and free. LuLu smiled and enjoyed the feeling of the sun washing over her. The beams drenching her prickled her skin in a wonderful way. Some time later she may regret not wearing sunscreen on her exposed flesh; for now, the rabbit was in bliss. She concluded that this place was okay. It was like her back yard only better.

The walk towards the fair seemed to drag on forever. Yet, neither Josh nor LuLu complained. They would not admit it to one another, but they probably would not have minded returning to the car and doing it all over again. Even as the duo made their way through the entrance the laid back attitude that seemed to enrich the walk there did not fade. Of course, there was the normal bustle of people attending the festivities the fair had to offer: contests, petting zoos, and various rides. Nevertheless, the mannerism were different here than the ones in the city. People strode languidly and stopped to share a rousing conversation about the latest farming trends or baking tips. It was refreshing. Josh grinned down at his raevan, "What do you want to do first?" The boy almost felt bad that he was the first interrupt the peaceful sanctuary they had stumbled upon. LuLu looked back up at her guardian then shifted to look around. Numerous booths surrounded them and each one had its own quaint offerings, hand painted signs promising prizes or colorfully dressed townsfolk barking out attention grabbing jingles. One in particular captured the girl's interests though. She pointed at the booth and began to float over towards it, "That one." LuLu had chosen a game where the goal has to knock down as many bottles as possible using a pellet rifle. Josh chuckled to himself. He would give it a "shot".

Josh was glad that the stall owner was so awestruck by LuLu. If the overall clad man hadn’t been so captivated, he probably would have had a few snide remarks for his latest patron. The boy placed the pellet rifle down with a hesitant thud as if not wanting to attract attention. He looked meekly at what he had accomplished.

One bottle was laying lonesome on the ground.

Josh scratched his head and gave a nervous chuckle. Admittedly, it had been a while since he had shot a gun. Personally, he preferred to reserve weapons for self defense not for casual fun. A hand reached out to brush the rabbit girl’s ears apologetically. It looked like he would not be winning a prize for his frei anytime soon. The boy eyed the stall owner who was absentmindedly scratching his scruff. The older man’s eyes were still planted on the raevan in a firm gawk. If the teen lacked a conscience, he would have used the distraction to reach over and snatch up one of the cheap stuffed animals dangling just over the counter. Fortunately, the boy had a strong sense of right and wrong. He was never one to be a bad influence.

He turned to LuLu and motioned her closer to the stall. “You try Lu.” The girl’s ears gave a curious twitch. Forget shooting a gun. She had never even seen a gun before. The frei shifted uncomfortably in her spot. It seemed as if embarrassment was inevitable in this situation. Lavender eyes scanned the crowd taking account of the small mob that had formed around them. This only made the raevan more uneasy. She floated forward and place one hand on the gun. Small fingers traced delicate circles down its frame as she examined the rifle. LuLu bit her lip uncomfortably. This thing felt... barbaric.

Nevertheless, she reached out and took up the pellet gun in her hands. Her grip was weak, fingers laced around the air soft rifle loosely as if she was half scared of it. The rabbit leaned over the wooden counter and attempted to aim the gun like her guardian had using, most likely, the poorest form imaginable. All the while, humiliation churned in her unformed stomach. A pink tongue poked from parted lips as LuLu began to concentrate. One digit ghosted over the trigger. Her finger pad just touched the cold metal. It was now or never. She began to apply pressure to the small lever. Three... Two... One...

A hand clasped over her shoulder.

LuLu squeaked in surprise and the gun flew out of her hands. It tumbled on the ground, forgotten, as she quickly spun around to see who her “assailant” was. The raevan was even more shocked to gaze upon an unfamiliar sigel. The rabbit stared at him with wide, doe-like eyes. Her bell-like voice began to churn out words, “You scared me. That is not nice.”

LuLu carefully took the gun from white clothed acquaintance. She cocked a blond eyebrow quizzically as the sigel began to write in a notebook at his side. The frei gave the book a cursory glance to skim over the page's content. This was an unusual sight, even for raevans. LuLu's small palms twisted at the rifle's wooden grips. Curiosity began to flutter around in her chest. The girl cooed softly to Xiu. A hint of interest laced her words, "You cannot talk?"

She sat down the gun on the stall behind her and gave the other raevan a curtsy, "I am LuLu," the rabbit also turned to her guardian to look for approval, "I would like a treat." The glance at Josh was really only a formality. Even if the boy said no, she would get a treat in the end. She knew this for a fact. A smile spread over the frei's lips.

Josh looked between the two raevans and let out a lighthearted chuckle. Today was meant to be a relaxing day for him and LuLu. If someone was willing to treat the girl, Josh could not bring himself to say no. It would be stirring a pot that the boy would rather keep untouched. Josh would just have to repay Xiu later for his troubles. "Sure, go for it. Pleasure to meet you Xiu. I am Josh."

LuLu's brow knitted together softly in a display of pity. It was was somewhat distressing to the girl that someone was actually be unable to speak. She shifted a bit uncomfortably as she tried to imagine how hard it must be for the sigel. The rabbit could not fathom how horrendous it would be to go a day without talking to the people she cared for. It would be like putting a wall between them and herself. LuLu cringed outwardly at the thought of such isolation. As a creature who craved attention, it was a horrifying idea. The rabbit frowned at her new companion. A horrible curse must have been placed on him.

LuLu's ears perked. Maybe Xiu was like Ariel from The Little Mermaid? At first, it seemed like a silly notion. Xiu lacked any resemblance to the mermaid in question. However, Ariel's voice had also become lost and, at the end of her story, her voice was returned to her. Maybe there was also a way for Xiu to find his voice again. The frei piped up, "Can Xiu get his voice back?"

LuLu's eyes widened as Xiu took her hand in his own. She watched with glee as he stooped down gallantly to greet her. The girl had only seen such things in her storybooks. She could not help but emit a delighted giggle. The experience was like a breath of fresh air. It was not often that LuLu met a refined raevan like Xiu. The rabbit straightened up and tried to look more dignified in front of her esteemed company. The frei's nose crinkled as she smiled, "Is Xiu a Prince? You say hello like one."

LuLu took Xiu's offer and began to lead the way for the two males. It was not long before her nose caught wind of the delightful smells coming from a quaint booth near a tent. One fragrance was particularly pungent and demanding: carrot cake. LuLu found her senses honing in on the odor of her beloved dessert. Like those of a prowling cat, lavender irises darted back and forth over the stall's goods until they fell upon the confection they were seeking. LuLu floated a little higher in order to get a better look at the cake. Her eyes lulled closed as she took a deep breath. She inhaled the cake's rich aroma and filled her lungs with its scent as if it were a drug. She gave Xiu a dreamy gaze. "Can I have that one?"

Xiu’s silence was still a bit off putting to LuLu. She tried to focus more on what he was doing and less on what he wasn’t saying. Nevertheless, LuLu was never fond of reading others. She was not particularly accurate at it. The rabbit did not mind judging those around her. However, those guesses were superficial and never needed precision. Trying to make sense of a mute was proving more difficult.

The frei thought she picked up on fear when she asked about a cure to Xiu’s loss of speech. Still, that emotion was gone in a fleeting instant and was soon replaced by contentment. Lavender eyes grew in size as LuLu watched the white clad sigel buy a WHOLE cake. The rabbit could barely contain her excitement. Her head was becoming a bit clouded and hazy at the sight of the splendid delicacy. The girl nodded enthusiastically in response, “Yes!” Visions of picturesque picnic scenes were playing in her head. The ones from story books where everyone sat atop white linens and numerous treats sat in piles around them. The girl clasped her hands together and let out a blissful sigh.

Josh smiled meekly at the two. He had to admit that he was starting to feel like a third wheel in the group, the presence of a lower body probably did not help this. The boy could see that the two would probably enjoy each others company more without him. He looked around and spotted another prize booth. Maybe he could win something there? He returned his gaze to the two raevans, “I am going to wander for a bit. Keep LuLu save for me, Xiu. I am counting on you.” The boy gave him a wink then spun on his heel and walked off towards the booth he had eyed earlier.

LuLu noticed a look of guilt creeping onto Xiu’s face. That just would not do! Today was going to be a happy day. The girl floated closer, nearly bumping into the other raevan. The rabbit bobbed in midair to regain the sigel’s attention. A little hand lifted up and rested on the top of his notebook. LuLu pushed it down with a smile, “Do not worry. Josh does what Josh does. You did no wrong.” With that, all bad thoughts were thrown to the wind and both of them could focus on the picnic ahead. LuLu took Xiu’s arm in her own and began to float with him towards the designated dining area a few yards away. Her cheerful aura radiated around them the whole way there.

LuLu took the seat that her companion had graciously offered. She was almost astonished that the astute sigel had to ask what she wanted. The frei grinned and pointed at the carrot cake on the picnic table just infront of her. “I want the best thing.” She nodded firmly. LuLu was hell bent on devouring that cake in due time. Of course, she would offer some to Xiu out of sheer politeness. However, nothing else would stand between her and her beloved dessert.

At least, that was the plan but, as we all know, the best laid plans are bound to fail. This instance was no exception. Not even a few minutes after the two raevans had sat down trouble had already begun to brew. A few whistles erupted from one of the nearby tables. LuLu chose to ignore them. However, she could not ignore the boisterous boys for long. Their whistles soon turned into rude remarks and innuendo laced compliments.

“Hey baby! Why don’t you come over here!”

“Lose the zero and get with the heroes, Sexy. We could show you a good time.”

The rabbit became rigid in her seat. She felt the fur on her ears bristle with irritation. This was nothing like her story books. These boys were ruining her fairytale afternoon one offensive comment at a time! Lavender eyes narrowed. Small, brown fists clenched under the table as LuLu fought to keep her short temper under control in front of her new friend. An internal conflict was being initiated within the girl. LuLu was deciding whether she should keep calm, or take the spare bottle of cider and throw it in their faces.

LuLu was still unsure which option she should choose.

LuLu watched with distaste as the other humans around her began to retreat back to the fair. They gave up so easily. Should she and Xiu leave, too? Lavender eyes perused the gaggle of twelve miscreants. They all seemed like country bumpkins, drunken ones at that. It was almost painfully obvious that the boys lacked any refinement. As well, whatever class they had did have was probably drowned in liquor. LuLu scrunched her face in revulsion as she spotted one of the lads picking his nose from under his sleeve. She almost gagged when he rubbed the offending snot on his friend. She was not sure which was worse, watching them or having to smell their booze laden funk from downwind. The rabbit was certain that any hopes she had held for the picnic were trampled into dust. Her gaze then fell back onto Xiu.

She was trying to gauge the sigel’s emotions. Was he willing to stay or not? With a flash of his notebook, it became noted that he was not willing to stay. LuLu became flustered as Xiu began to herd her out of her seat and away from the gang of troublemakers. Bone wings fluttered open with brittle crack. The frei rose from the table and was about to turn to leave until she remembered something of the upmost importance: her cake! LuLu leaned down to gather the vital dessert in her arms. She was almost too distracted by the tantalizing delicacy to even notice the boys’ latest rude remark. However, the frei did notice when Xiu left her side to go confront the troop. Gold framed eyes noticed the fierce glow of Xiu’s rune. Her wings widened their span a bit to make herself look larger. Unconsciously, LuLu was preparing herself for the fight that would surely erupt.

The boys also observed Xiu advance. One barked at him with a laugh, “What are you gonna do, pretty boy? Give us a makeup lesson or some crap?”