Welcome to Gaia! ::

Tariq sat quietly upon the steps that lead up to the shrine, legs stretched out over the stairs before him. He had a lollipop pushed off in the side of his cheek, and his tail idly thumped the ground behind him. It was a fairly warm day, as was expected during summer. He lifted a striped wrist and wiped it over his brow. The humidity was pretty bad also, as the shrine was relatively close to the lake. His choice in clothing colors also didn't help much, his black pants made it feel like his legs were on fire. He drew in a deep and slow breath, releasing the flower that he had been picking apart. It was a slow, hot, lazy summer day at the shrine today. No one had really stopped by... He pushed one of his ears behind his back and let out a sigh.

He'd gotten tired at their hectic household, what with Freize's recent dissapearance and all of his 'siblings' running amuck. Another sigh, and his red gaze sought out the sky.

The young lad had been very contentedly staring off into the vast expanse of sky above him, right until his thoughts were interupted by a voice. He shifted, pale face turning in the direction of the noise. His startlingly bright red gaze fell onto the man in a manner surprisingly calm, and there was something about this child which made him seem much older. There was this strong air of sorrow about him, the sort of sadness that followed forgotten dreams or utter loneliness, yet this air did not seem to match to its creator's expression nor behavior. It simply was there.

"Tari." The boy corrected without hesitation, for he most certainly was NOT named boy. He stood and brushed off his rump, tail twitching slighty. The dirt clung to the black of his pants. He wasn't very fond of it. His gaze strayed once again to the visitors, "Can I help you?" He began moving towards the man who had called for him, and felt a dull throb in his chest. It wasn't a usual talent that those of his kind had, but Tari had found he got this strange vibe whenever he approached a stone and he was getting that feeling now. He looked into the older male's eyes with a look of inquiry, "Have you found a strange stone?" He moved his lollipop to his other cheek, making a soft slurping noise.

The boy delicately took the stone from the older man, sparing a glance towards the beast circling him. He lifted the stone towards the sky now, holding it gently between two fingers and tilting it so that it glittered fantastically in the sunlight. Sun's blessing... Bits and pieces of information popping up in his mind, fading away... Twisting, morphing, disapearing. He lowered it slowly, "I know... Some."

The pale child's head tilted somewhat, "He is like me." He went silent for a moment after that, a hand lifting to run through his hair. "Like me... We come as stones, and then we turn into... Living things.. My father-Freize..." He felt a twinge of pain at mentioning the missing weremutt's name. "We haven't figured out why, really.." A moments hesitation--he honestly had no clue. He had yet to regain memories, nor had their origin been found out by either he or his caretaker. "Something about the sun, I think. The sun's blessing..." He drifted off, looking towards the sky. "I don't know... My father found a stone, and says that it turned into me.. We're trying to figure out why now... And..." He shook his head. He was rambling.

"Maybe..." The child muttered, although he didn't fully comprehend what the older man told him. He watched the man calmly, although his focus was really still on what lay in his hand. He could almost feel a pulse from it if he kept as still as possible.. It was the feeling of energy, of something living. He knew it. It was something somehow familiar, really.

He arched his brows and peered over at the man as he spoke once more, curious about his tone of amazement, "Yes... Although I think mine looked kind of different... It was white. A white stone.." Which wasn't really surprising, looking at the boy's complexion and main colors. "With a little black... But yes, I came from a stone." His eyes shifted towards Urza uncertainly as the thing spoke.

Tariq nodded, "Nice to meet you." He shifted and extended the palm which the man's stone lay in, returning it. "I'm certain he's like me..." His voice drifted out as the creature spoke, curiousity beginning to form behind the boy's vivid ruby colored eyes. "Alchemy..?"

He had to ponder on that for a moment, had he heard of that..? He was almost certain he hadn't. His ears shifted slightly-they only moved on occasion, as they were much to heavy for the usual constant movement most other's ears went though. "I don't think so..." He shook his head, "Uh-uh, I haven't."

Mild fascination filled the child's eyes, and he took the piece of ice into his hands, examining it thoroughly. What a neat demonstration... He most definately approved. "That's really interesting..." He admitted, pondering quietly over what he was just told before looking up to the man in a curious sort of manner. Yet there was still something, a question, lingering in this inquisitive young man's mind. He offered the ice back now, head tilting itself to one side. "Can you turn it back, as well?"

He wanted to hear and see all about this alchemy, and wondered how far it could push boundaries.. He quite enjoyed the display, as well. A smile now crept across his lips, and there was a bittersweet kind of joy that came from him. There was happiness, sure, yet there was always that heavy air of melancholy hanging about him that never seemed to fade even as he stood there smiling earnestly.