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"...the way you were looking at it seemed really unlike you, Prajna. I was impressed. I've never seen your eyes glisten so..." Namini prattled on affectionately, though the Star continued to pay her little attention. Its cerulean eyes darted past the faces of red nosed strangers and from window pane to window pane until finally it stopped in its 'tracks' and pointed to the store, its eyes wide with enthusiasm.

"GET. MOVING!" Prajna screamed, though its voice clearly expressed more joy than irritation. Namini cracked a smile as she watched her Frei weave in and out of the crowds and nearly rip the music store's door open. She chased after it and caught the door just moments before it closed. The curly haired brunette tried to return to a state of maternal strictness, "Prajna! How many times do I have to tell you? Please do not run off on your own. You know how many times troubles.."

Namini let out a defeated sigh as she watched Prajna inhale deeply and then hold its breath. The interior of the store was truly impressive, lined wall to wall with instruments of incredible variety and textures. Namini even caught sight of an exquisite onyx grand piano in the back of the store, one so large she couldn't help but gasp. In the moment of inhalation though, the teen suddenly noticed that Prajna had disappeared, wandering down the aisles.

I don't think Prajna can get into...too much trouble here..It's too fascinated by everything she thought as she brushed her gloved fingertips gently against a nearby flute. What beauty.

And Prajna was thinking the exact same thing as it approached the beautiful beast of an instrument it had seen on television. Nothing in the store compared to it, nothing. Not the grand piano, not the antique harp, none of the flutes or trumpets. Prajna felt its heart race as it let one hesitant fingertip make contact with the cello's smooth wooden neck. The wood, that maple anatomy felt as smooth as some kind of heavenly marble, carved and touched only by the hands of gods and goddesses. Prajna ...felt happier than it ever had.

Namini felt a warmth embrace her as a sweet melody began to trickle down the aisles and make its way in and out of the other instruments, vibrating through a drum set or a set of strings quietly, perfectly.

"What beautiful music," Namini murmured as she found herself being pulled towards the source of the magnificent sounds. She stopped on an interesting pair, surrounded by a small and pleasant gathering of other customers. In the center of the crowd as an older man with long hair, dual-colored and tied back into a neat ponytail. His fingers seemed to simply glide along the piano keys, striking the notes as tenderly but confidently as a bumblebee resting on a flower. It understood just how much weight to apply and when just enough was just. enough. Just like the bee, his fingers knew when to strike and move from one blossoming note to another. Namini couldn't help but blush at the man's level of concentration and passion. Something about it was so attractive, how a person could focus so intensely. She wondered if she made a similar expression, one of contentment and confidence, when she cooked. Probably not. That's when she noticed the intrigue of the other character beside the man. The youthful face seemed just as enthusiastic as the man but in a more obvious, child like manner. It was concentrating but perhaps not on the same level of intensity.

Namini's sapphire eyes trickled down the spiraling cream ribbon and smiled. Another Raevan. Now she just had to find Prajna... Ah. It was too late. The brunette caught the redhead's brilliant blue eyes across the crowd. ...What kind of face was Prajna making? She couldn't tell. It looked to be something of a mix of pain and intrigue.

Prajna had been tenderly taking in the majesty of the cello when a familiar music reached its ears and ripped its concentration apart. Prajna was not pleased by the sudden interruption but could not find the music unappealing either. It followed the noise to a small crowd of whispering people in the back of the store where a man with white and black hair was playing. Playing the piano. Prajna recognized the instrument immediately. It had seen it play lovely duets with the cello, the keys contrasting the deep voice of the cello beautifully. Prajna though, could not find itself at ease, despite the sincere music and the tranquil sight of the man playing so peacefully. Its rune flickered uncomfortably, as if it had a fever or something, uncertain in how to behave and Prajna felt its throat become dry. Was it nervous? It had been, upon entering the store, but after seeing the cello, the nerves had calmed. What was it? That's when the Inverted Flame saw him.

Not the pianist, but his companion, a cream colored Frei with uneven hair and burnt orange wings, half bat like, half bird like. Prajna's eyes had narrowed to try and take in as many details as it could, but the longer it stared at the Frei, the drier its throat became. It felt itchy and its hands felt antsy. Why ... Prajna made eye contact with Namini and then turned abruptly, attempting to return to the cello and forget about the Frei that made it feel so...hungry.

Namini let out a small "Ah!" as her charge disappeared back into the crowd just as quickly as it had approached it but instantly let the worry leave her as she returned her attention the wonderful pianist. His light colored Frei seemed to have caught something in the corner of its eye and dashed off towards it so now was the perfect chance. Namini approached shyly, a blush and a candycane-sweet smile on her face as she did a quick little bow to the gentleman, "Evening sir. Um...that was a beautiful song you played. You're very talented. I-I'm Namini Nao. It's a pleasant to meet you. ... and your Raevan?"

Namini tried to broaden her grin but her lips were shaky. He was so much taller than herself! And his hair...looked really shiny. The young girl caught herself blushing even more. Shiny and soft, she could see some kind of resemblance between the man and his Raevan. Their hair was envy-worthy.

Prajna, on the other hand, was experiencing a different kind of overwhelming situation.

"Hullo."

Prajna's skin was like a feather-plucked chicken's underneath its crimson attire. The Fallen Star turned slowly in response to the harmless greeting, its expression crinkled into one of irritation. In the corner of its eye it could make out the stunning silhouette of the cello. It was so close... and now so far. Prajna swallowed what saliva it could as it inhaled slowly and met the other's golden eyes. Ah, he had nice eyes. Not as beautiful as Vyn's, as his sclera remained a normal white but his eyes were still a heart melting gold. Upon this realization, Prajna frowned deeper, "What ...do you want?"

Maybe if it found out what this thing wanted, Prajna could deliver it faster and escape to the calming sensation of the cello and its deep voice. The longer it stood here, floating near this firefly-like Frei...the more unbearable its throat became, the more twitchy its fingers became.

Namini's cheeks dyed themselves a deeper red at the man's proposal to relax. Need she always be so obvious? The teenage girl tucked a nervous curl behind one ear and swished her long pink skirt to and fro over her white, fur-trimmed boots. She wasn't sure how to match the man's articulation and elegance, but..she would try, "Jezabroux is not too difficult of a name. I'll remember it, I promise. I'm no musician sir, so to someone like me, your performance was honestly...very breathtaking. I'm being genuine, I hope you can believe me." Namini wondered how drunk her cheeks made her look now and how young this man thought her to be. She attempted to compose herself and stopped fidgeting.

Raising her deep blue eyes, she met Jezabroux's and smiled, inserting a maternal pride into her voice that was once missing before, "Oh! I'm sorry, I guess I didn't really explain. I've got a little one too. Mine is named Prajna. It's made up of a fire, that supposedly took in light and heat instead of emitting it, kind of like... an inverted flame?" She giggled at the cartoon fire she imagined, eating lightbulbs and flashlights. "And its soul is that of a fallen star. I didn't think stars had souls but I suppose..anything is possible. Do you believe in Fate, Mr. Jezabroux?"

Fate..Prajna believed, at the moment, if such a thing were to exist...it would one day find this "Fate" and torture it as it seemed to be torturing the Star soul now. Prajna wasn't sure how to react to this newcomer. Yes, of course they were the same. Idiot Prajna thought as it watched the lighter colored Frei smile at it with its eyes and words. Prajna scrunched its nose for a moment as it tried to pinpoint what this feeling was. This yearning to know more about this soul, the lust that told Prajna to just...touch him. For a moment. Just for a moment. Prajna, after taking in the silence that decorated the air between them after several moments, let out a sigh and flared its wings defensively, though its expression had definitely softened. It possessed no horns or leathered wings, but Prajna was not going to let this Frei underestimate its power. The Star would make sure that the Satyr did not get too close or cocky.

"Of course you wanting to meet of Prajna. Prajna is ..great. Now...give a name," the Flame demanded as it folded its arms behind its head to try and hide the twitching sensation coursing through its fingers. It no longer felt like a hunger or a desert stuck in its throat but Prajna continued to feel some kind of anxiety coursing through its veins. An incredibly small fraction of the Star wanted to let its guards down completely and be enthusiastic and as inquisitive as a young ember among the coals, but the majority of the Star's mentality remained suspicious. Who knew what games this Raevan could be playing? Prajna already had plenty of enemies. One more wouldn't hurt but Prajna was not here today to fight. It glanced at the cello once more. It just wanted to hear its beautiful music..

"Oh! Prajna has been watching a lot of musical television stations lately and it seems fixed on the specifics of the cello. I tried to offer it a violin but it's determined to at least see the cello in person. It describes its "voice" as a reminder of "home." I think it has something to do with the deepness and distinctness of a cello's sound" Namini explained without hesitation. When it came to talking about how endearing Namini found her charge, it seemed she did not have any trouble discussing it. The young girl glanced over the expensive piano and grazed a few of her fingers against the smooth wooden surface, smiling still. She let out a small laugh at her thoughts, before returning to Jezabroux, "I believe that yes, everything happens for a reason... Are you shopping with your Frei too? Christmas gifts perhaps?"

Luka? Loo..ka. The name was short and easy, like Varun or Vyn, but Prajna's tongue was unused to the beginning L and frowned at the required technique. It felt like it was saying a dirty word of some sort, preparing to project a ball of spit at someone walking by. As Luka introduced itself and attempted to break the ice, Prajna watched him with wary eyes. He didn't have villanous ears like that of Lulu or Lucia...his eyes weren't dark and ominous like Delia's.. He seemed, yes, similar to Prajna, with those eyes like Vyn's and that long creamy hair the length of Varun's... It was choppy and uneven, wild too, like Vyn's. Hmm...Prajna flexed its wings and returned them to a more casual pose as it circled Luka carefully, making sure to keep its distance. His knobby little horns weren't like Rivener's either.

Those porcelain locks did look quite smooth...

Prajna extended its pale hands until one carefully rested itself under Luka's chin and the other's fingers were delicately stroking one of the Satyr's long strands of hair. Prajna was intrigued at first to feel such soft hair. It was like petting a small animal, so light and comforting. The Star turned to meet Luka's amber gaze before asking sternly, "Who have you met?"

The Satyr's next words would be of great significance.

Namini thought for a moment as she allowed her eyes to flicker over the strings of a nearby guitar. She plucked one and upon hearing the random note, she turned back to Jezabroux with a defeated smile, "I don't remember Prajna being interested in anything else. It's kind of hard to tell though. Again, I'm not very knowledgeable in the field of music and its instruments. All I know is Prajna has been listening and watching many orchestra performances on television, specifically performances by asian musicians. I'm part Chinese so I guess that's why Prajna picked it up? " Namini knew the last line didn't seem very supportive or logical in her analysis of her charge's preference in music tastes but it was all she could offer the genuinely intrigued man.

"I heard cellos are very expensive. That's why I was hoping for a violin. Some cellos, I've seen, can range from $200 to more than a thousand. I just..don't have that kind of money at the moment. I would try and rent one for Prajna but I'm not sure if we could afford insurance on it or anything...in case..." Namini's ocean blue eyes fluttered about the glossy cymbals and the smooth flutes in front of her as she carefully picked out the next words. "In case something were to happen."

Delia.
That's all Prajna needed to hear.

Prajna stopped its tender stroking of the Satyr's hair and formed a firm yet harmless grip on the milk-colored strands as it floated closer to Luka's face, until it was just a few inches away. Its icy blue gaze seemed to be frosting every pore on Luka's immaculate face over as its voice seemed to quiet but retain a heavy tone of danger, "Prajna has met lots. Varun and Vyn specially. Lucia, Lulu, Rivener, Delia. Delia. Delia Delia Delia...Luka, how close is you with Delia?"

Prajna's pale lips curled into a warm grin, though it maintained its grip on the Satyr's long locks.

Namini followed the older gentleman towards the bowed instruments and tried to think of the past week in particular. All she could remember was the music and how nice it was to fall asleep to, even if she was curling up, quick to slumber, as Prajna remained attentive and alert throughout the entire night, absorbing every note. Only when the dawn broke through, then was it the Star's turn to sleep. Namini pounded a small fist lightly against her temple as she tried to remember, a name, ANY name! That's when she remembered one.

"I don't remember that person, but I do remember one show. It was a pianist and I think nine cellists, followed by an orchestra maybe, I think later on. The man's name was Joe Hisaishi and I remember watching it with Prajna one night when it was snowing really badly because it was very dramatic, very dark. The show, "Madness", seemed to be Prajna's favorite performance," Namini explained as she remembered how intensely the Flame's eyes flickered across the screen, watching as the numerous bows dipped and swayed. The another name flickered to her tongue. "Kanon Wakeshima as well, a female cellist and singer. Prajna adored her song "Still Doll", though..to be honest with you Mr. Jezabroux, it gave me the heeby-jeebies. The music Prajna likes sounds very sad and dark, sometimes I wish I knew more about it and how to talk with it about whatever it's feeling but Prajna...is not very expressive."

Namini stopped in front of a small wall decorated with cellos of all sizes, half sizes, full sized in 4/4, a few larger, rarer instruments outside the 4/4 range, one being an incredibly exquisite and rare item, a 1696 Stradivarius. Namini was too afraid to touch the piece as her eyes fixed themselves on the blaring price tags, the Stradivarius's being the most threatening at a silently intimidating cost of nearly $2billion. It seemed like it was being prepared for auction perhaps... Namini slipped her anxious fingers into her skirt pockets and began to twirl her skirt to and fro once more. She twisted her lips into a smile for her new companion, "Prajna is not...clumsy nor prone to ..breaking things necessarily. It just has a tendency for...expressing itself in the most unexpected and extreme mannerisms...but enough about Praj haha. What about your cute little guy?"

Prajna watched as Luka quickly responded to the obvious threat with a tightening grip of his own...around Prajna's fist. Prajna was shocked by the other's surprisingly warm touch but the shock was quickly replaced with the startling sensation of ...hunger again. Despite this, the Fallen Star refused to release its hold on the other's hair. If a fight was inevitable, so be it. The cello was already forgotten as was the soft reassurance of the piano.

"Not important, them" Prajna stated flatly, pushing the thoughts of Lulu and Rivener to the back of its mind. It focused on maintaining its icy grip."Prajna...hates her.

The Star ended the statement with a smug grin as it abruptly flared out its crow like wings and tightened its jaw. Who knew what powers Luka had? Who cared? All Prajna could do was be ready.