Welcome to Gaia! ::

The middle of February most certainly is not a time for ice cream. Neither is it a good period for birds to chirp, flowers to bloom, waterbaloons, the beach, or anything even remotely related to warm weather. Sure, it's better than the middle of January or December or wearing a parka in July, but unless you happen to live in a more fortunate area of Gaia where the weather is much kinder to the populace, summer-things just won't cut it.

So it appears that a light-cotton sleeveless dress and sandles wouldn't, either. But then there is Shen, adorned by the aformentioned garments and sitting, within full range of any remotely motivated gust of freezing winter air, sitting in the middle of a frost-encrusted lawn. The grass had somehow managed to stay alive during the onslaught of muderous frost all through the winter, although it is a bt difficult to tell under all the shimmering ice crystals. The trees in the front yard also seemed to be thriving, althogh the hedges don't look like they're doing too well. The HQ sat silently, almost suspiciously inconspicuously, amid this non-sensical scene. But then, again, is there anything at all in Gaia that makes perfect sense unless to those with a slightly unconventional way of thinking? And just exactly what Shen is doing sitting in the middle of the lawn at such a strange hour surrounded by nothing out of the ordinary (except her choice of outfit) could be anyone's guess.

Shen looked on coruiosly at the group of children, showing no evidence of having noticed Aure slipping away from the flock. It was until the adult of the group, presumable the designated guardian, looked away that she addressed the girl coming out from behind her.

"I'm waiting," she replied simply. Surely she couldn't have been waiting for Aure, for the young woman showed no change in composure upon the other's arrival. Her hands traced along the frosted blades of grass, absently plucking them from the ground with a soft "snap" accompanied by the tiniest crunch of frozen water.

Shen only smiled, in that knowing (though not superiorly so) way. "I don't mind being outside," she remarked gently. A breeze passes by, carrying bits of ice and snow and miniscule droplets of mud along with it, until it curled around the pair and contented itself with playing over their hair. "And I would probably miss it if I stayed inside." Her smile slowly dropped until it turned into graveness. "All I can do is wait. It can only confirm or disprove; I have no part in the matter itself." Just an observer, a passerby, she thought to herself. Surely Anari would get into fits of rage if she heard of this, too. But Anari doesn't have to know; it's neither her interest nor her duty.

"Are you cold?" Shen asked, tone of voice slipping into concern, the change as flawless and sensible as a chameleon changing its color. "Head inside, if you wish; but I don't think you will be able to see it from any of the windows. Since you are here already, I'd rather not have you miss it."

"If you insist, then," Shen said in that same quiet voice. "It's not much to see, but...I suppose it will explain many things. About why." She could have just told Aure flat out; she's fond of this particular child, even though they have only met a few brief times. Aure is intelegent, yes, but most importantly her heart's in the right place. Shen didn't care at all what the alignment may lead to; she only cared about the intentions. That is her duty, no more.

But showing would provide more evidence and build a stronger base for belief. And since Aure showed up at this exact time, then it shouldn't be deliberately advoided.

Shen pointed to the sky, toward one of the brightest stars. It is an ordinary star, just more noticeable than others. Not a pulsar or quasar or any of the more fickle ones. The kind that is able to nurture its own world of life. It is fairly close to Gaia; toherwise, it wouldn't appear so bright. "See that star over there? If what I've been told are true...it should happen any minute now."

The young woman merely chuckled inwardly as to not disturb Aure's pride. "Could be. You will probably know more about what actually happened out there after seeing it than I do. All I can tell you is the strange things that caused - no, willed- it to happen."

As she spoke, the start began to flicker, just the tiniest bit more than stars usually twinkle. But a observant eye would no doubt notice the difference.

All was silent for a moment, as Shen allowed the child to assess the event for a minute or so. Then she continued, "it is the end of a story; the author no longer has the will to carry on, therefor has written for the end of an entire world. What he doesn't realize is that his own personal needs has resulted in the collapse of a whole system. He did not leave any open ends for his characters; rather he chose the definate sentence. And thus, it has caused the end of a world." She shifted her gaze from the now dying star, and turned to look directly at Aure. "It was these laws that goverend the other Universe, the one which every Illusionary's past life was a part of. Every single life was created, toyed with, and destroyed simply for the sake of keeping lines of Fate from becoming too tangled to manage." She was then silent again, as they watched the star gave its last breath.

"No, not exactly 'wrote'...more like a god of some sort messing about with how he orchastrates the world." Gods; most of them end up destroying everything they've created, at the very end. "Perhaps he doesn't realize the consequences of his actions; perhaps he just enjoys putting an end to things. Or perhaps he thinks it's a better thing to do to them than letting them suffer in life. I don't know." Her hand returned to plucking the frost-covered grass. " But now...do you see why we are doing this? To keep those who deserve a happy ending from tragedy?"

They should not have been able to see that star; it's of a different Universe than Gaia. But Shen let the matter slide for now; that would only further complicate things unessecarily.

"I don't know, I don't know..." Shen answered, Her voice had lost all traces of emotions and morphed into a chant-like sound, so that it became impossible to detect her thoughts on the amtter being discusses. "If they simply leave the threads alone, these threads will tangle; it was, maybe still is, their job to maintain the threads. The esieat way to untie a knot is to cut it; yet that would ruin the string altogether. They would rather do that, then having to do with the hassles of bringing it out unharmed...or so it seems. Maybe not; all we could do was to infer."

"Every arrival comes at a price; we can't just move an entire world into another. Every action has its consequences, and we are doing the best we can without uprooting balance." She hoped the child would understand all that. If not, that's fine. There is still time.