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A small orange Feien floated along in the woods, carrying a black velvet coin case on his shoulder. It took him awhile to get there, especially at his speed. He silently cursed himself for being the slowest thing on earth, and hoped that Ian wouldn't mind his late arrival. He came upon a small blue cottage amidst the trees and flew to the windowsill. He looked inside, setting down his pouch.

"Ian?" he called. "Are you here? I brought some of my things for our adventure..."

Ianios flew to the window, and motioned for Neruo to enter. "Come on in!" It was Rynn's bedroom, the bed made somewhat, a few stuffed animals lying on it. There was a tv on a stand, console systems in the stand, a dresser, another dresser, bookcase.... Her room was filled! "I'm just writing Rynn a note." He said, taking the small piece of paper and putting it on the bed. "What did you bring?"

Neruo floated over to one of the stuffed animals, examining it. LF had several of these in her room as well, and Neruo thought that it was just her. Apparently not. He chuckled and turned to Ian.

"I already told LF that I was leaving. She was happy for me." he said, opening the coin purse. Two toothpicks, a plastic water bottle top, some herbs and a plastic bag were taken out. Neruo looked at them again, and then to Ianios. "Is this good? There really wasn't anything else our size to bring. Did I need anything else?"

Ianios grinned. "Weapons!" Well, toothpicks could be weapons, he reasoned. They were pointed! "I've figured everything else out, but what's the top for?" He asked, picking it up and looking at it.

Neruo twirled one of the toothpicks in his palm. He smiled as Ianios regarded them as weapons. They could be useful that way, though. "Actually, I'm practicing to be a drummer in a rock band someday. I use these to practice. They could be useful otherwise, though..."

He picked up the plastic bottle cap. "I got this from one of those store-bottle water bottles. LF had to take this off the top to drink from it. She said that it could be used as storage or something."

Ianios laughed. "A feien sized rock band?" he asked, grinning. He reguarded the rest of the items. "Well, they all look good to me. I was thinking we could go out back, explore the woods. Unless you rather explore in the house. Many things are here, and even I have yet to see it all."

Neruo smiled and put away all his belongings. He then slung the sack over his shoulder and floated into the air. "Wherever you lead, I shall follow." he said, confidently.

Ianios grinned, getting up, grabbing his spear. "Alright, let's go." He flew out the window and to the edge of the woods, waiting on Neruo. This would be grand indeed.

Neruo smiled and took to the air, floating slowly out to Ian. He wished he was faster, but...this was the best he could do. He surveyed the forest and all its green slendor. No wonder Ian loved it out here!

"Is there a specific destination during an adventure? Where're we going?"

Ianios smirked. "Nah, part of the adventure! Never know where you'll be ending up!" His wings buzzed behind him, and he looked about, wondering where to start. "Hmmm...this way." He flew into the forest, towards a tree. Up in the tree was a hole. And Ian wanted to see what was inside.

Neruo fluttered along, trying to keep up. The tree they came to was thick and green. Neruo noticed the hole and flew up to it, gazing inside. He thought he heard rustling, but disregarded it.

Ianios looked in, but it was dark. He heard the rustling as well,but stuck his head on in anyways. He was odd like that. He yelped as he was pecked in the head and pulled back. "Bird!" he yelped, flying away, turning around, grabbing Neruo and flying away again.

Neruo flew with him, and looked behind his shoulder at the bird. It was peeking out of the nest, chirping angrily at them. Neruo hung on as Ian flew them away. Ian was much fatser than he, and Neruo was grateful.

"Perhaps we should adventure near water instead? Birds can't swim...can they?"

"Neither can I," Ianios admitted, letting go of Neruo. He sighed. Good thing he had taken the pecking and not Neruo.
Gods, he was dangerous...he'd end up drowning Neruo if they went to the water...He sighed, heading towards the forest floor. "Might be safer down here."

Neruo raised an eyebrow, floating down towards Ian. He patted his friend on the shoulder. "I've tried to swim in a Tupperware container with water in it. I found that, when my feathers get wet, I can't fly. Maybe it is safer down on the floor."

Neruo flew down to the forest floor, landing softly on some leaves. The color reminded him of Ian. He smiled and walked over to the roots of a large tree. He found some mushrooms hidden under a pile of dead leaves and acorns.

"What are these, Ian?" he asked.

Ianios walked over, looking at the mushrooms. "Mushrooms, fungus, really. I'm not sure which are good to eat and which aren't. Still studying on that. So best to leave it." Just then, his stomach growled. "Lets find some berries, or nuts." He walked on, searching. He was fairly certain he knew what berries to eat.

Neruo nodded and walked next to Ian. "You're very knowledgable. Have you been out adventuring often?" Neruo saw a flash of red in the sky above them. A cardinal flew overhead, ignoring the Feien. Neruo was awestruck over the vastness of the forest.

"Have you been reading about forests? I've been practicing medicine with herbs. I'm not too good yet, but I know some kinds of herbs..."

Ianios smirked. "I try to adventure often." He walked on and stopped when Neruo asked if he'd been reading about forests. He turned, a twinkle in his eyes. "Nah, don't have too, not really. My element is plants." He gave the orange feien a wide grin. "I rather like being out here. Come on, lets find some food."

It wasn't long before te two feien came across a bush, loaded with blueberries. Ianios grinned and pulled one free. He popped it into his mouth, chewing. "Delightful!"

Neruo walked up to the bush, pulling a berry off. It seemed to be quite ripe and smelled good...and apparently they aren't poisonous. Ian was a Plant Feien? How interesting! He would have to write that down somewhere. He popped the blueberry into his mouth.

"Thith ith verrah good!" he said around the berry. He swallowed it and picked another. "A Plant Feien? That's very cool! I'm Heat. I have yet ot meet another Heat Feien, but...Plant? LF had said she didn't know all the elements...She'll be happy to hear I discovered another. What kind of magic do Plant Feien have?"

Ianios shrugged as he pulled off another berry. Before he popped it into his mouth, he answered. "All I really know is flight. Shalafi is ice...Nero...we dunno what he is..." He trailed off, thinking of his Nero. He hoped he was alright. He popped the berry into his mouth, picking a few more. They might need them later, he reasoned.

"Ready to go?" he asked, wiping the juice from his mouth. It stained his hand purple and he smirked.
Neruo nodded and picked more as well. He opened the coin purse and put them in. He removed one of the toothpicks he brought and handed it to Ian. "You are the one that likes to fight, right? Maybe you coudld teach me?"

He slung the purse over his shoulder after taking out a second toothpick. He twirled it in his hand. "I have been practicing drumming lately. Oh, and all I know how to do is fly as well, but warm places do not bother me."

He shrugged and walked alongside Ian. "Where to now? Do you have a secret hiding place or something?"

Ianios took the toothpick, holding it with his free hand. "I can try but I don't know much myself...Arturo was teaching me, then Aoiro...but Arturo no longer will and I haven't see Aoiro in a while...." He smiled. "I like warmth too, but too much...or cold...it's not too bad, but makes me sleepy. As for a secret spot..." he smirked, taking to the air. "That I do."

He turned towards the direction of the shop. "Come on, I'll show you."
Neruo smiled and happily followed Ianios. "I've never heard of either of those Feien. I'd like to meet them someday...but I'm not sure I'm cut-out to be a fighter..."

"Arturo is Nero's father. I think you've met him. Aoiro is a water feien...in fact, he closely looks like my sister, Aria." Ianios flew past the shop, peering in the window. He saw no one and flew on, towards his den in the tree. "Here we are." He crawled in, the floor carpeted by leaves. "Come on in."

Neruo slowly floated into the quite, dark den and sat down, admiring the leaves on the floor. He set down the coin purse and laid down. "This is nice. Very nice! Do you come here to rest, or to spy?"

The orange Feien rolled over, propping his head up on his hand. "I don't remember anyone named Arturo..."

Ianios nodded.

"Well, be glad you don't. He banned me from seeing Nero...claimed I'm dangerous." He sighed, looking about the den. It was just right for two feien...maybe he could get Nero in here....He smirked to himself. "I came here that night I ran away...well, the second time. It was when Arturo banned me from seeing Nero. We'd gone exploring up in the rafters of the shop, and Nero got ahead of me. Tripped into a bird's nest and thought I suppose like something had gotten him. Got all tangled up and so, I got him free. But as we were leaving, the mother bird came back and attacked. Arturo and Yeande were there, rescued us. I was so upset... and left the shop, came here. I brought the leaves here, made a bed. I stayed here until Tahki told me I shouldn't worry Rynn like I did."

"I'm so sorry to hear that. It wasn't your fault, though, and I don't think Arturo was right for forbidding you from seeing your friend. Perhaps you could explain what happened? Maybe Arturo would listen?"

Neruo took out some of the blueberries and popped them into his mouth. After chewing and swallowing, he said, "LF needs to buy these...blueberries. They are excellent! I must convince her to get more."

Ianios shook his head. "I took Nero on an adventure before that. Under the counter in the shop." He sighed, popping another blueberry into his mouth, chewing it. Once he swallowed it, he went on. "He got bit by a mouse. Though I held it off and bandaged it, the bird was the final straw. Arturo hates me." He looked down to his feet as he was sitting up. "I'm even partally afraid to get too close to Shalafi. Afraid I'd harm him, but never would mean too."

Neruo felt bad. Terrible. It was a shame that Ian felt that he was a danger to others. "Well, if it makes you feel any better, I'm having fun. And I haven't come to any harm. Besides, none of that stuff was your fault anyway. And I did ever get hurt, I wouldn't blame you."

Neruo picked up one of the leaves that lined the floor. "Patience, a Poke-Anthro that lives with us, is a plant. I wonder if you can learn to do what she can do...like, grow things and make whips out of vines?"

Ianios chuckled. "I never have tried to make things grow. No garden or anything, not of my own. I do however talk to the plants I come across. I do ask permission to dig up the flowers. They don't seem to mind once they know they're going to new homes." He layed down, starting at the ceiling. "It's nice and quiet out here..." He yawned, ready for a nap.

Neruo stood up and gathered his things. "Since you look very tired, perhaps I should be going now? I wouldn't want to disturb you, and I had a wondeful time."

Ianios shook his head. "Nah, stay a while. What do you do at LF's?" He rolled over onto his side, propping his head up with his hand. "I can sleep amid chaos and quiet. You can't disturb me." He grinned, using his other hand to run through his hair.

Neruo nodded and sat down. He played with one of his curls while he thought. "What do I do? I read, and listen to music, and care for this little Seedle that LF gave to me. She says it'll help keep me responsible. I personally enjoy listening to music the most. LF has lots of "techno", but that's too fast for me. I prefer rock and roll. What about you? What do you do at Rynn's?"

Ianios thought a moment as well. "Well, Rynn leaves so early in the morning, so I sleep half the day away. I go exploring in the house, play hide and seek with Aria. She has Fionn over now, as Raving's gone to camp. We play games. Rynn likes groups like Linkin Park, Metallic, Beastie Boys, so whatever we can find we listen too. Aria reads and draws, and I watch TV sometimes."

"You have three Feien at your house? I'm the only one, but there are many others that live there. LF taught Patience how to play Dance Dance Revolution. LF does that sometimes. It's too fast for me, and the pads are too big. Sometimes I play video games with Ezra, LF's Faefox. Or we play cards. He had a deck of smaller cards to play with me."

Neruo leaned up against the wall. His hand still played with one of the curls on his head. "What's it like having a sister?"

"Yeah, me, Aria, and Fionn. Liliana is a Maien, which is another kind of fairy. She's an odd sort." he thought for a few. A lot of Rynn's pets and children weren't always around. "Never tried cards, but there is card games around. Magination, though Rynn would have to teach us. I saw all those while exploring her closet. "

He closed his eyes. "Aria is alright. More like a mother at times than a sister. We're only bond related, unlike Nero and Merri. They're real brothers. Might share different bonds, but the same parents, Ares and Arturo." He sighed after saying the names, opening his eyes. Gods, he missed Nero!

Neruo tilted his head in worry for Ian. He looked so sad...It seemed at though his company wasn't enough to soothe Ian in his pain. "LF has a Faeling, but he is human-sized. But he's really nice. Most of LF's companions laze around the house, like she and I do."

So, there are real brothers among the Feien? Not just bond siblings? Amazing..."I'd like very much to meet one of these true brothers. Are they nice? Nero seems nice to me, from what you've told me about him...Was Merri the other one? What is he like?"

Ianios smirked. "Nero's the best. He took to me right off, along with Tahki. Merri...Merri's withdrawn. Nervous I think. I dunno why." He grinned, thinking of Nero. "Nero's older than me, but shorter. It's kinda cute. He's also slower when he flies, but hey, I don't mind. He looks different too than any other Feien I've met. But I still love the guy!"

He ran his hand through his hair again, spiking it slightly. "I do like your curls. That's different too."

Neruo pulled one of his curls straight and let it go. It snapped back into place as if it never moved. Neruo smiled. "They sound wonderful. I'd like to meet both of them one day. I did have a chance encounter with a Feien named Ruya. She seemed nice to me. Very interesting colors on her, too."

The orange Feien stood up and stretched. "Anywhere else you'd like to go?"

Ianios thought a moment. "Well, anywhere you wanna go?" He sat back up, stretching as well. He had no idea where to go, as lately the shop seemed empty.

Neruo shrugged, slinging the coin purse over his shoulder again. "Anywhere is fine with me. I haven't been outside of the house much, so I don't know where we COULD go."

Ianios stood, thinking, rubbing his chin in thought. Hmmm...he'd have to find them something to go do. It'd take some time. "Well, I could fly ya home. It's been a day and I can plan the next adventure, though this one wasn't much. Maybe let Rynn plan it....ohhh! Good idea!" he said grinning. "Let her plan us a treasure hunt! How's that?"

Neruo smiled widely, nodding. "That sounds like an excellent idea. I've never been on a true treasure hunt. LF loses things and I find them for her, but it's just not the same."

He opened his feathery wings and flew out the opening, floating just outside the entrance. He waved to Ian. "Thank you very much, again, for taking me on this adventure. I had a great time, and look forward to doing it again. Send my regards to your sister and Rynn." He smiled again and flew off towards LF's house.

Ianios waved back, crawling out as Neruo flew off. "Come back again! I enjoyed it!" he called after the orange feien. He really had. It was fun! Now for his idea....

Tahki yawned quietly as she glided into the shop, yellow eyes glancing about the empty room. No one ever seemed to be around when she showed up lately, and it was getting rather discouraging. Flitting over to the counter, she tried hard not to trip over the edge like she usually did.

Step, step, step...slip! Always...always the feathers! Having come loose and landed before she had on the counter, her feet caught hold of a couple of red feathers, and there went her legs...right out from under her.

"Eeep!" she squealed, landing on her back. Okay...not too bad. No one was there, right? So everything was still good! Quickly, the cold feien picked herself up, ruffled her feathers to straighten them out, and fixed her hair a little bit so that it wouldn't look like anything had happened.

An orange Feien floated in slowly, a shiny key dangling around his neck. He glided in and landed on a coffeetable silently. He spread his wings and stretched. Boy, what a day! He had slept through about a day and a half on his return from Ianios's adventure. He had been throroughly wiped out...but now he felt better than ever.

He turned around to spy a Feien he thought he knew. The color was similar...TAHKI?!!?11111oneoneone (( blaugh ))

"Tahki? IZZAT YOU?!" he exclaimed.

Driesan flitted around on the table in front of a sleepy Xander. He was excited, and was eager to meet new people, simply waiting for the "go on" signal from his father. It came with a yawn, and Drie zoomed off, peeking over the edge of the area where the other Feien currently were.

"Mmm?" Tahki blinked a few times, her hands still on her head from fixing her hair. Turning around, she glanced around the room for a moment, wondering who had spoken. An orange feien...oh!

"Hi Neruo!" she smiled, lifting a hand and waving as she giggled. Did she really look that different that everyone seemed surprised?

Neruo looked up at her...realizing that she was now considerably taller than he. Amazing! The last time he saw her...she was shorter than he! What happened?! Neruo shrugged, smiling. "Sorry for my outburst. I think you look quite lovely."

He turned and saw another Feien, one he had never seen. He was dark and very strangely-colored. Were he and Ian the only uniformly-colored Feien? He doubted it, but nevertheless.

"Hello!" he called to the dark newcomer. "I'm Neruo. You are...?"

The yellow form of Sieben bounced quickly into the small shop. A rather large and bulky sack was clutched in her arms, apparantly in place of the Pixapet she usually travelled with. The bag emitted a muted, metallic sound that made Sieben's slender ears flatten against her neck. She alighted on the counter, her back to Tahki. For the moment. "Erhh." she grunted, dropping the sack at her feet. Her ears jumping back into position, she turned as she heard the familiar name. "That's you, Tahki? I didn't know you grew!" Sieben lifted off the countertop and flew over to one of the only Feien she knew, hovering in front of her. "Your wings are gorgeous!"

Tal peered out from behind the case he'd been roosted behind, quietly thinking, just in time to catch Tahki's fumbled landing. He hesitated, then shook his head, the last of his worries that she was no longer the same feien fleeing. Still Tahki. Bigger, but still Tahki.

Feeling moxious, he scooted to the edge of the shelf and offered a round of slow, wiseassed applause for her.

"Graceful." he remarked, even as others began to arrive, not recoiling in timid antisocialness this time...too tired to care.

Driesan fluttered his wings lightly, and grinned at the rest of them.
"Name's Driesan... You're... very orange."

Neruo chuckled. "Why yes, I am very orange. And you...are very NOT orange." he chuckled again and noted two new Feien. A yellow one and another white one. He waved to both of them. He walked over to the yellow female, extending his hand in greeting.

"I've never met you before." he said.


"Sieben!" she grinned, looking to the yellow feien. "It's been so long s--OOO!"

...Okay, just because she was older, didn't mean she still had focus that could last more than around 15 minutes or so. At least, with most of her friends. Looking to the dark feien that had appeared, she smiled.

"Hello there! My name's Tahki! You said your name was Dri--TALON!!"

Oh my, there it went again. Though, who could blame her? Anyone knowing her long enough would know that she was rather attached to certain feien, and this was one of them. Quickly taking flight, Tahki zoomed up to the shelf the white feien was perched on.

"Talon Talon, look! I got bigger!" was what had come out, though it's not what she'd meant to say.

Driesan sat crosslegged on the table, head tilted in curiousity, wondering if there was something he'd said to upset the other one. It was, afterall, only right that he point out colorings... as they seemed to be a large part of the "clique" factor here.

Sieben shrugged. "My guardian doesn't let me out much. I'm Sieben," She shook Neruo's hand, feeling that he seemed oddly familiar. Brushing away the thought, she landed on the counter in front of Tahki. Or at least...she was in front of Tahki for a moment. About to reply, Sieben caught the words in her throat. She laughed quietly as Tahki's attention span proved as short as ever. Dashing over to retrieve her bag, she flitted back towards Neruo and settled on the counter. "So, what's your name?"

Tal had to lean back slightly on his haunches to actually be able to see her face now. "That's...an understatement." he said, blinking twice and then inwardly kicked himself. BAH! That hadn't been what he'd meant.

He stood up, feeling too short suddenly and still only coming up to Tahki's elbow. THIS was going to take some getting used to. "I would have come to see you sooner but I was..." the excuse he was going to use fled his mind at the last second, making him grit his teeth and he fumbled, leaving his sentence unfinished and then peering over the edge of the shelf.

This was the most activity he'd seen here for a -long- time...

Neruo looked over his shoulder, inviting the dark Feien to come and chat. He smiled at him, and then turned to the yellow one. "I'm just lazy sometimes, but...I'm Neruo. You're the first yellow Feien I've ever seen."

He tilted his head curiously, noting her square patterns and dark skin. He wondered if she were a Light Feien, or perhaps, a Heat Feien like him?

"So, have you been on a trip? I just got back from an adventure with Ianios."

Drie rose to his feet, and walked over, almost cautiously. He'd read rumors about "cliques" in some of Xander's books. And his father seemed to know a lot more than he did.

Tahki landed on the counter next to Talonfaust, and immediately hugged the smaller feien to herself, not even thinking about where that would exactly put him (i.e., just about over her chest).

"Talon Talon I m--" she started, but then realized just how awkward this really was. Was wasn't used to being taller than many others, and especially not this much taller. Dropping to her knees, she hugged the feien again, this time being "shorter" than him.

"Talon Talon I missed you!" she smiled, blushing slightly. "I thought I might have scared you away somehow when I grew up!"

Aquaphina flew in and landed near the others giggling slightly...her usual perky self seemed almost hyper at the chance to see new people again. she quickly scanned the room.... her head whipping back and forth to keep up with her eyes scan...

Neruo was almost overhwhelmed! So many new Feien all in one place. And now a PINK one! This was just too much. He wished he could keep track of all this information without the use of pencil and paper, but...he hoped memory would serve.

He looked up and watched Tahki and the white one. Talonfaust? He felt a tinge of...jealousy? No. It couldn't be that. It was impossible. He turned to wave to the pink Feien, gesturing her over.

"Trip? Yeah, right. My bondmate's just a lazy beast," she sighed. Sieben was rarely angry and when she was, she wasn't very good at it. "Well..I didn't really mean that. I guess she's just boring, is all. Not very active either." She sighed. Spotting the approaching Feien, she perked up a bit. "Hello! Why were you sitting all alone over there? Weren't you lonely?" Ah yes...lonely. Something she knew all about, being expected to entertain herself most of the time. Fortunately she had at least one friend that constantly stayed by her side - something this one did not appear to have.

Tal's ears perked a little as he was hugged and he made himself return it, still feeling a bit awkward when his arms barely closed at her now-adult back. He really -did- feel small.

"No...no, you didn't scare me away..." it was only a half-lie. He hadn't been scared AWAY, he'd just been scared to arm's distance for awhile while he dealt with it. "I just..." he lowered his voice to a mutter "...thought you'd want to find someone--" Better? Bigger? More mature? All of the above? He couldn't think of a way to word it without making it sound like an accusation and that wasn't his goal.

The air was alive with chatter of the feiens that had come in and seemed to still be coming in...it was almost like that noise Karma tried to pass off as music that she blasted at wall-rattling volumes while she was in the shower, yet strangely comforting. He didn't keep up with anyone....something could have wiped out the entire feien population, leaving only two or three of them and he'd be the last to know.

"L...lonely? Err... yeah... I guess. Sort of. But I mean, it only stands to reason one would be lonely when alone... right?"

Aquaphina stopped scanning the room as soon as she saw someone waving at her. her master had told her of ways to communicate without talking and this was indeed one of them. she opened her wings and flew over to the beconing Feien... landing slowly at thier feet and closed her wings....pausing before saying anything she looked up and down at the feien..... sizing them up? or wondering how to talk to this inquisitive young feien

Tahki blinked a few times, pulling back a little and looking up at Talon. Want someone...?

"Find someone? Who would I want to find, Talon?" she asked curiously, not understanding.

Neruo suddenly looked up, reminded of something. He bowed quickly to Sieban and the others and floated to the window.

"I'm sorry, but I really must go now. I'll come back later, if I can. Goodbye!"

He took one last glance at Tahki and Talon before floating out of the shop.