Welcome to Gaia! ::

Isa frowned as she looked out the window. The moon was out, clear and crisp and from the position she knew it would be some time yet until Mari would want to drag her home. It was a cold, crisp night, one that smelled of leaves and earth and maybe just a little bit of chocolate.

It was also odd, for Mari and Isa to be out so late in town. But they had been heading back home from a dinner at friends and family, and distance close enough to warrant a walk (despite the wine, in Mari's case). Isa enjoyed it. It was quiet, peaceful, and maybe just a little bit worthwhile.

"Cold?" Mari asked, stopping to adjust the scarf around her herald's neck. Big, thick and chunky in a warm crimson shade, it was clumsy and knotted in areas, clear evidence of home made knitting by hands that were not skilled at the art.

But Mari had made it, and Isa didn't mind: despite the fact that it itched at her neck just a little bit.

Shaking her head, she pointed to the abandoned swing set at the corner of the block: a quiet park, almost.

"Its kind of creepy, no, being out so late?" it wasn't too late: it was colder, the moon was simply out longer. But still.

A persistent point at the swing set, and Mari smiled.

"Fine. Five minutes."

Isa stared at the swing set and back at Mari, turning around and taking a little hop jump onto the seat. There passed an expression of smug triumph at having managed to accomplish this by herself, and as she held onto the sides, her wings gave a tiny flutter of pleasure.

"Ready?" it was cute, almost funny seeing the herald act as if she was larger, older. She stepped behind the herald, pausing for a moment at the soft sound of voices.

Companionship, then?

Curious to see who else would be out at this time (and slightly horrified at the thought of being told off for having dragged her own kid out so late), she called out.

"Its a nice evening to be out."

Isa's expression that flickered towards Mari was one of genuine bafflement and horror.

Talking to strangers at night? Wasn't that supposed to be a big no no?

Isa looked up at the new arrivals, surprised to see that it included someone closer to her size. Except... not like her. Male, different. And louder. He liked to speak.


"Hello Michael." Mari said warmly. A child, was it? So far Isa hadn't met anyone Isa's... well, maybe age wasn't the right word. "Don't worry, I'm not here to hurt your mom." she couldn't help but chuckle. "We were on our way home from dinner when we spotted the swing set." stepping out around the swing, she offered her head to the woman. "I'm Mari, and this, this is Isa." she looked back.

Isa wasn't a talker. But maybe she'd be friendlier this time around. It was with new people, and .... well, they had come to the swing set too, so maybe it was enough to have in common.

Taking a quick hop off the swing set, Isa approached the two. "Isa." she repeated, eyeing Michael. "Friends?"

"Pawnshop? I own a store nearby!" she pointed to the vague direction. "Clothing and accessories for women, and some furniture...sometimes." she grinned. "Isa likes to play on the swings too!"

"Angel?" Isa looked over at Mari with a frown. She looked back at her wings, craning her head and realization seemed to dawn. Right, the pretty things that Mari had ordered for the shop, and had proceeded to put them up on chains to lace through the stores. Maybe she was. "You're an angel." he looked more like than she did, and he was colorful everywhere, unlike her. Were those flames dancing on the tops of his wings? They were different from hers, definitely. "Mickey"

Mari's eyes widened as she nodded her head. "Did the same happen to you?" but he looked so different! "How did... the wings.... he has..." there was so much to ask, and discuss and learn! "I haven't met anyone else yet."

He was like her then? She reached out with one hand to his wings, wondering why they were so different. Didn't it hurt, when they burned like that? Mari had warned Isa away from the stove whenever the flame was on, because it would hurt. Did these not burn the angel boy? Then she got distracted by his next words. Pretty?

Aw shucks, this boy seemed to know what to say already, and he was her size too.

"You are." was her steady answer, as was her gaze. He was bright and colorful with his own light. "Does it ever get dark when you're around?" what if someone turned off all the lights in the room? Wasn't it dark then?

Mari, catching the end of Isa's question smirked, but was distracted by her own conversation. A candle, was it? "For me it was perfume." a damn expensive bottle at that too, which kind of sucked. But if they all became more...well, less like an angel. "It was the same for me, and I was a bit worried when I bought her in at first." when she hadn't even known if Isa was male or female. "This is great, to have met someone else like me." she grinned, relieved. "I'll have questions, tons of them, and I'll like to be able to talk to you whenever I do."

It would help, to know someone who had gone through it first. To know that she wasn't messing up in some way.

Isa reached out, swing and the cold forgotten. Would it be warm? Would it burn her? And look, he was going red, just like the flames! She wondered what it would be like, to be warm all the time. "I like it when its warm." was her answer, thinking back to the golden afternoons when all she had to do was lie in the sun and sleep on a patch of warm wood. "We have a pretty window that looks like my wings." color wise, anywise. A peacock in stained glass. "Its pretty. You should come see."

Mari smiled, delighted. "I really do have a store just around the corner, called Marion's. You should drop by sometime, or let me give you a call, or we can meet up for lunch, or..." realizing just how idiotic she sounded (and that probably this wasn't the best thing to do on a first impression) she fumbled in her coat pockets. "I have a card here, somewhere..."

At Luna's comment, she looked over to see the way Isa was eyeing the boy's wings wonderingly. She wasn't used to hearing her Herald speak so verbosely, especially with strangers.

It was a nice change.

"That would be nice." seeing a glint in Luna's eyes that she liked, Mari grinned back. "Here, I have a card. Give me a call whenever you're out about town, and we'll grab coffee."

It'll be like a play date.

Pretty. Well, that was definitely something nice to hear so often. It was warm near him, a warmth that had her wings relax and unfurl just a little bit. She was tired, just a little bit, and being near someone warm was too similar to the feelings she would get napping in the afternoon sun. Yes, it felt about right to try to take a nap now.

"That sounds lovely." Mari took the paper and nodded, taking a glance at the number as she processed the fact that this woman was a teacher. No wonder she seemed to be so in control of the situation they were in.

"I'll give you a call then, soon." she promised. A glance towards Isa and the heavy lidded look of sleep was enough to have him smile. "It seems Isa's due in for her bedtime anyways."

This had been nice, really. Moving over to collect her child, she smiled at Michael. "It was a pleasure to meet both of you."