Welcome to Gaia! ::

He had been out running some last minute errands before heading home. Nothing special, nothing unusual. Just errands. General household needs like groceries and laundry. The never ending challenge of being an adult. A loop of perpetual work. He was too focused on his next stop so he hadn’t even thought much of it when one of the many people there for the star festival passed him one of the charms that were being handed out like candy. Simple little charms to celebrate the festival that brought so many people to the city. The little violet star charm was cute and all, the little tinkly bell a nice addition, but all he did was thank the person and pocket the trinket. He didn’t have a grand amount of time to get things done and chatting about the festival he hadn’t really gotten a chance to enjoy this year wasn’t something he could spare. He had a schedule to keep. People to see and places to be. The weekend was fast approaching and he wanted to get everything done so he could thoroughly enjoy his time off with his family. So his time was finite. As were the store’s operating hours, although some of them were open just a bit later for the festival so it did give him a bit of a breather to his schedule.

His tight schedule…. One that really didn’t have much room for any delays….

And yet Sig found himself staring down at a bunch of flowers that had pretty much ‘lured’ him to this spot in a park. He had been passing through when the flashes of color, but no real sound, had him powering up and going to investigate. He had been expecting some kids playing around with lights or toys, or at least something magical being tossed about since there were several he had seen that produced light, but what he stumbled upon was rather beyond his understanding. “Since when do flowers ‘explode’?” he asked absently, tapping one of the closest flowers with the end of his staff and watching as it burst out in a spectacular purple and gold sparkle. The entire clearing looked like it was covered in the puffy looking flowers, the colors ranging through the known rainbow. Not natural in any sense of the word but still very beautiful.

No danger, at least not visibly, just pretty flowers. “I wonder if they would survive picking?” He did know several people who might like the unnatural flowers. Then again he had learned over the last year that nothing was as it seemed. Could the glowing pollen cause issues? Were the flowers doing something nefarious? Just how dangerous was it for him to stand here and admire the potentially hazardous plants? That particular thought had him making a face and pulling out the burner phone and tossing a quick text out, this way there was at least someone who knew what he was doing. He even added a picture since the flowers really were quite beautiful. Danger and all.

“Well that sucks,” Sig muttered before his head whipped up and he spun around until he was facing the figure that had just talked to him. “Bloody hell! Where the hell did you come from?” The squire asked even as his heart continued to race. How had he missed her? Had he been so absorbed by the flowers that he missed the senshi? Was his aura sensing off again?

He hesitated a moment and tried to see if he really didn’t sense her but she was there. Bright and clearly order…. So what had happened? Or had he just been an idiot and missed her, like one of the other times he had forgotten to continually check for any chaotic auras.

“Ah,” His response was lame but then again how did one pull off a ‘you scared the s**t out of me’ response in any way that wasn’t lame? Instead he just sighed and focused on the flowers, “Shame really. They do look very pretty.” The squire looked over at the senshi and absently frowned. “Odd question but why are you out here?”

Sig knew why he was out here but why exactly was the senshi? Had she sensed something or was she just patrolling… but if she had been patrolling then why did she just appear like that? He had so many questions.

“I saw the lights,” He shrugged and tapped one of the flowers again, smiling when it set off a little sparkle of light. “Since I didn’t know what it was I figured best to be prepared.” Sig nodded, understanding. He knew just what it was like being the odd man out in this little ‘war’ of theirs. “I don’t suppose you know anything about fighting with a staff do you?” It was a long shot but maybe the senshi would have some ideas. Really, anything was better than the floundering he was currently doing.

There was only so much the internet could do and he hadn’t really found a class that catered to staff fighting. At least not without years of experience, something he did not have time for.

“That would be bloody fantastic!” Sig perked up at the offer for a teacher, he even happily nodded when the senshi suggested checking his grip. “I really am working off of self training from the internet so any real assistance is very much appreciated.” He shifted his stance and grip on his staff the way he figured he should hold it and grinned, “I’m ready when you are.”

Sig let out a gargled yelp as his staff was practically thrust into his own face, it was like a horribly predictable vaudeville movie. She stumbled, shoved his staff into him, he stumbled backwards, tripping over his own feet, and in the process the staff flew free of his grip as he tried to keep his balance but failed. The staff bounced off into the field of flowers after smacking the senshi, in some kind of karmic retaliation all its own, several flashes of colors from the flowers marking its resting place.

Sig’s own fall was just as colorful. The flowers burst into a riot of light and harmless sparks, it was both beautiful and surreal. Sig lay there blinking for a moment, trying to process the chaos of the last few seconds before just starting to laugh. “Dear lord, that was some Three Stooges type s**t,” He chuckled as he sat up rubbing his face even as he dusted himself off. “I think it might be safer for us both if I just pass you contact info for this Anakeion to help, or vice versa if you would rather. Otherwise we might end up hurting each other more trying to figure it out then one would during typical training.” He climbed to his feet still laughing, “The name is Sig, Sigiriya, by the way. Squire of Ida. Even if it seems like I am more of a Larry or Curly right now.”

The young man finally introduced himself, better late than never, just as some flashing red and blue lights in the distance broke through the tree cover. “I am assuming we shouldn’t stick around any too much longer,” He nodded towards the lights, noting the two flashlight lights bobbing through the darkness. He summoned his staff back before dismissing it entirely, it was an extra step but he felt better knowing he had it in hand before sending it away… to wherever it went.

"Have your friend reach out to me, I know senshi have their ways and if not just contact Maia, Antares, or even Ida, they can reach me as well." He figured the three strongest senshi he knew were good touchstones in the event they couldn't look him up on the senshi database or what ever they use. Sig eyed the flashlights coming ever closer. "We should go, besides I still have to get to the store." He just hoped they weren't already closed.

With that the squire booked it out of the area, doing his best not to set off any more flowers. It had been an interesting detour that was for sure. One he hoped would pay out in dividends if he was actually able to get some true training with his staff. But that would have to wait until later, for now he really did need to get to the store!