Welcome to Gaia! ::

Despite all that was going on at night and how tired Lily was from having to fight herself twice, she still found time after work to explore a bit. She didn't often get a lot of time alone to herself to just wonder about and it'd been a while since she just went out and got little gifts for her friends. That how she came upon 'Pencil to Paper', with a few small bags in hand she went in to see if there was anything interesting that she someone might like.

Walking in she shifted her hand to one bag and started to browse the shelves. She hummed lightly to herself picking up this and that, but hardly noticing much outside her little world. She was quite enjoying her peaceful little shopping adventure.

Slow, quite Sundays were always one of Ulane's favorite times at his parent's craft shop. Not that he didn't like people, mind you, but it was just so much easier to be productive with his own things when he was alone. And even when he couldn't work on his new projects, like building a new model, or sewing something fancy, or even quietly crocheting at the cashregister, he still loved to have one headphone in, stocking a shelf, or chatting with a customer when they were around. For now, with no one here, he was waltzing through the rows of products, sorting a bunch of 'last minute rejection' items that came from people's baskets once they were in line. It was never something very large, but they loved to just go "Oh, I don't want this" and stash it between the shelves of little trinkets and candies that lined where the register was. It was tedious, busy work, but atleast it made the shop look clean and organized.

Through his humming and the otherwise silent shop, the door's little bell rang as someone came in, causing the young man to look up. To his pleasant surprise, it was a rather lovely red-haired girl, one he recognized and was rather excited to see again!

"Hello Lily!" He called to her from the back of the row he was in, taking his box of random items with him as he approached her. "I didn't know you came by this area! How's it going?"

Lily looked up slightly surprised at the sound of her own name, sporting a sort of dear in headlights expression, but seeing Ulane she gave a bright smile. "Hey, I was just wandering, so a bit of shopping. I spotted the store and decided to come in," she said holding up her bags to show. "How are you," she asked softly and laugh lightly, it wasn't as thought she hadnt seen him just a few days ago, but well it was a polite thing to ask.

"Do you work here Ulane?" She sat the bottle of glitter she held in her hand back on the shelf and turned to face her friend more fully.  "It's nice," she said, "I was just browsing not really sure what I want. I've actually been buying things for my friends. They will likely be Christmas gifts, thought maybe I could find something nice in here. Do you have any suggestions?"

"Oh, out on a leisurely Sunday stroll, eh? Sounds quite comfortable and relaxing, I'd say. I'm doing just fine, you know how it goes! I do work here, my mother and father owns the place, and when the weekends come along, I spend my time here if they need me. Since they aren't here today.. I am needed." He laughed at his own little nonsense joke, and went to the counter, setting the box down. near it.

"Hrm.. Well, this is a craft store.. So there's many, many things that can be done, it's just mainly in bits and pieces here. Do you know the ages of the people you're buying for? Any of their hobbies or interests?"

She gave a small laugh and smiled at him, "Something like that. I got off from work and just didn't go home. Home is nice, but sometimes you just want to be out and about right?" She grinned, "how long have your parents owned this store? Are you all crafty?"

She followed Ulane up to the counter her browsing forgotten in favor of learning more about her friend, but she ended up with a thoughtful expression on her face as she starting thinking about the hobbies and interests of her friends. It was hard really, but while they were close, their night life sometimes got in the way of their day time friendships. She thought to Paris, most obvious ballet, to Chris, who liked baseball and she was sure animals as well, Nate, who played piano and guitar. The list could go on for literally day and probably make her head hurt. "They all like a number of things, but I'm not sure if any of them are particularly crafty. It never to late to pick up a new hobby right?"

She paused for a second her face lighting up, "I do know that my boss like to clip and collect things, she got sketch books full of clippings. So you have any sketchbooks?"

"Hrm.. Well, they've owned this store since we first came to America.. When I was twelve.. so.. I'm twenty-one now.. That means.. Nine years? It's been some time since I've been back to Estonia, but.. Yeah, Nine years! We're all pretty crafty, though I've strayed from that and went towards music. But my favorite hobby, besides messing with my saxophone, and avoiding baking... I think making kites. Flying kites. Kites in general. " Oh, he could just go on and on and on about kites, but they weren't talking about that just yet, nope.

"Hrm... Sketch books... Yeah, we have lots and lots.. It's over here." Ulane gave his chin a little rub in thought. "What hobbies do you like to do, Lily?"

Lily nodded as he explained about his families store and they had it for nine years. That was impressive, especially with the economy as it currently was, although Destiny had a way of generating revenue out of thin air, she really didn't understand it, but she did know her family had benefitted from it, not that they needed too. She grinned at his talking about his interests and was intrigued by the mention of a saxophone, but that was forgotten in favor of the kite comments. "I use to love to fly kites. There was this little toy store close to my high school, Meadowview, where I would buy kites and fly them in the park after school when I wasn't to busy."

She hadn't flown a kite in four years, after becoming Maia, nightmares of a giant snake like kite, turning into a youma and trying to kill her, kept her away from the wonderful past time. Eventually she was just, often times to busy. She followed him over to the sketchbooks excitedly looking through them when she got to them. "My hobbies, well lets see. I've been dancing ballet since I was very little, I love to sing, and I play the piano. I also like to write letters, but I don't to get much any more. Oh and I like to ice skate." At one point in time volunteering would be on the list, as she spent days upon days in the animal shelter during high school, but with college, work, and being a senshi, volunteering was one of the first things to go.

She held up a dark green sketch book, that looked as though it could literally be just a nice book, "what do you think of this one? It looks like it would be decent for clippings. Do you think I should get her some supplies like glue and things as well?"

"Really! Wow.. We're just finding all sorts of things we have in common! Music, being terrible at cooking. or once terrible, going to the same university, shopping in the same area, and now Kites! I think we should go ahead and fly kites together one day! But... Not those little store bought ones... They are nice and all, but there's nothing better than seeing your own symbol and creation soaring across the sky!" Grr.. Now the urge to make a kite was hitting him hard... His own personal project was a two person kite.. He did, after all, need a partner to fly such a thing!

He had no real obligations, sans just being a student, running the shop, and the students at his own school.. Free time wasn't all that restricted for him, so when he could, he went out and about enjoying himself probably more than he should. Maybe he could chalk it up to a case of Senor-itis.

"Hrm... Yes, that is a lovely one.. But I think a looser spine could be easier to flip through, and keep things in. Books like those are better with pressing flowers and such.. Which is an interesting activity in it self. And it all depends on whether or not they use that, or tape.. We also have some books that have specially sized slots for easily slipping in articles and photographs."

Lily grinned at Ulane, it was true that the pair had a lot in common and it was exciting to have a new friend who you could share things with. The mention of flying kites together had Lily turning away from the sketchbooks, "That sounds really amazing. I'm not sure how good I would be at making a kite, but it you helped me, well I bet it would be a lot of fun." Lily was a very go with the flow girl and so even if she was unsure about it she was certainly willing to try.

She was a bit less interested in shopping now a little sad that Ulane had to tend his shop because it would have been great fun to get to kite making. She looked back to the sketchbook in her hand and nodded, "if that's the case my friend Alex likes to garden. He might like to press flowers into it and take notes, like a field journal of sort or would a looser binding be better for that as well?"

She picked up another and looked it over, but put it back. "Could you show me the ones for articles and photographs. I think she might like one of those better."

"I don't think anyone is truly good at anything right off the bat. But we can work together to make something briliant. It's not like cooking!" Oh, he didn't think he'd ever let that time in their lives die from his memory. It was far too much fun! And Teaching people was what he wanted to do with life! It would be easy!

"Hrm... Well, pressing books on your own is easy, just need something heavy.. But there are books with sleeves in them, one side sort of a sealed sheets, the other a note pad sort of thing.. Yeah, I think that's it. " It took but a few seconds to scoop up the pressed flower-keeping book he had in mind, along with the scrap book. "These two. Cheaper than the fancy ones, but more amazing, if you ask me!"

Lily couldn't help, but to keep the bright grin on her face dual colored eyes lit up with curiosity and excitement. "I think I would like that very much. It will be nice to do something creative for especially if it means a kite flying session in the park." She laughed at the cooking joke, it would be a forever thing with them, even if she had learned to cook. She would have to prove it to Ulane one day. "Yes, lets not set fire to paper, wood and fabrics, they all burn much easier than counters, pots and pans."

She nodded genuinely interested in the difference between the books, putting down the book she had in favor of the ones Ulane was showing her. She looked them over and nodded, "Yes, I like them both. I think they will do just fine. The are nice and I think Phina and Alex will appreciate them very much. Thank you for you help, " she said softly.

"As for the kite building and flying, when will you have time for it. I would really like to try. I could use a little fun in my life." She couldn't definitely use a reminder that she was young and young people didn't constantly worry or pack their schedules so full and never take a breather. Though truthfully she been more busy of late trying to distract herself.

"Aaah! We can make it a weekend project! First, we'd have to make the kites on Saturday, giving it time to set and dry! Then, on Sunday, we can make it a day out!  Picnicking, then going by bike to the most awesome area I know of in the park, if the weather permits, and then kite flying til our Arms hurt! Sounds absolutely fantastic! And there's no fire involved with this project too! What do you say?" He threw a grin at her as he carried her purchases over to the register to check them out.

"Yeah... It could be a weekend.. Or whenever the weather is nice again..." He thought outloud to himself, bagging the items, and showing her the totals for them. "My folks should finally be back on Wednesday, so next weekend, if there's enough wind and sun, we can try then. What do you think?"

Lily eyes went wide listening to his suggestion and then she smiled softly once more and nodding. That sounded like a very nice idea, she would have to ask Phina for off, but she knew her boss would allow it. She followed Ulane to the front of the store her bags now in hand again. She would be praying the sun and wind this weekend because she definitely wanted to have this fun day out.

She pulled out her money and paid for her item, "next weekend sounds amazing. I have to admit I've never made a day out of kite flying, but I am very excited for it. You have my number, right? You can call or text my on friday to let me know when to come on saturday and we can get the weekend underway."

Taking her back she grinned, "this is going to be so much fun."

"Sweet! And before then, during the week, we can meet up again for lunch! Hehe... I don't mean to push it, but I'd love to see how much you've improved in cooking! But I'll pay for the ingredients! I wouldn't want to impede too much. I'd have to stay away from your kitchen too." He walked around from the counter, after everything was taken care of, money away, and the change headed back. He kindly lead her towards the door, figuring she had more things to do for the day. As much as he loved her company in the quiet of the shop, he couldn't exactly impede her from leaving.

"I look forward to seeing you again, Lily! Every time I see you, I feel like my day just brightens up with that smile of yours."

Lily blinked completely unexpecting for him to invite himself over for lunch, but she didn't mind in the slightest. In fact she nodded and smiled, "no need to buy any food. We have plently at home. You can come over and I will show you just how good I have gotten. It will be a lot of fun. Just don't touch anything, because I don't think my parents want to pay for a new kitchen any time soon." She could imagine the call now, hey mom, I kind of set the kitchen a flame, we need the insurance number. She didn't think her parents would appreciate that call to England.

She headed to the door with him and headed out smiling as always with her, his words causing her whole face to turn as red as her hair, but still she turned and flashed a bright smile before continuing down the street. Things seems to be looking up and she felt this new friendship would bring lots of fun times.