Welcome to Gaia! ::

The grandmotherly female turned her face to Lavender, smiling at her as she asked her questions. "A bag of the maple candy, my dear, will run you two dollars. The box, on the other hand, is a rare treasure. And while it is not what it seems to be, it holds something precious inside." Lifting the lid just a little, she showed the girl a ball-jointed doll, sitting curled up in the box, like a small sleeping child. "It's considerably rarer than maple candy, and a much larger responsibility." Snapping the lid closed, she continued to smile comfortingly. "Will the candy be all for you?" Old Isabelle knew she had a bite, but had to see if the girl would truly be one to care for something so valuable.

Leaning back a little, Isabelle thought a moment. "For a girl as determined as you are, I think I can let you in on a little secret." She moved from behind the stand, holding the box in her hands. "I cannot give you what you need, or any more than just the limited guidance on what to do about this doll. If it's truly yours, you will know." Running her hands affectionately over the box, she grinned. "Take this up to the Manor, the one on the hill." She pointed in the direction, making sure that Lavender could see it. "There should be someone there to give you better advice than I could..."

"No problem. I hope that you are brought lots of luck from that little doll." With a crinkle of her eyes, she put the money in her box. "And make sure to enjoy the candy, too!" Isabelle wondered who of the residents of the manor Lavender would encounter. She said a little prayer to prevent her from seeing Alain. His eccentricities were quickly becoming legendary...

Her high heels clacking on the cobblestones, Sylvia came down to the gates, the security cameras alerting her to a visitor. She had come as fast as she could, but the walk was just atrocious. She waved a perfectly-manicured hand to Lavender, calling out to her with a low voice. "Yoo-hoo! You must be here about the naught!" As she got closer, she pushed the gated entrance open enough for Lavender to get through. "Hi, I'm Sylvia, the accountant-slash-errand girl while Mei is away." Leading her to the manor, she kept her voice down while the noise from her shoes echoed off of the trees. "And I'll be helping you on your path towards awakening the doll you carry." She looked at Lavender, curious to what trait this one carried that qualified her to be chosen. Alain never did define what his requirements were...

And so she decided to do a little investigative work herself. "So, young lady, what's your name? Will you tell me a little about yourself?" She shifted her glasses on the bridge of her nose, an idle thought about the frames passing through her mind before devoting all her attention to the newcomer.

"Sometimes you'll wish you had stepped into a fantasy novel, instead of this circus that's typically run," she muttered ahead of her, too low for Lavender to hear. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Lavender. You're an artist, then? That's an impressive talent. Being published at all is quite an achievement for most." Sylvia adjusted her glasses a little. For some reason, they always wanted to slide down her nose. "And being a little shy isn't a bad thing. I didn't get adjusted to the city quickly myself, either."

She cleared her throat when it came time to explain about the Naught. It was her first time, and she didn't want to miss anything. "The doll you hold is not a normal doll, obviously. It's what we call a Naught. And when you put in the effort and dedication needed, this doll can turn into something wonderful." She struggled a little over her words, and then furrowed her eyebrows. "I'm not sure if I should tell you this, though. It's a lot of responsibility, and it might scare you off. And we don't need that happening, not at all."

She shook her head a little. "Felines have a beautiful ability to not talk back. But if you wrong one of these when they are fully awakened, they will act like any human whom you might encounter. I find caution is best in this type of situation." Looking at the Naught carefully, Sylvia reached out to touch it, a longing running through her. As she ran a finger over the wood, she smiled. "There are others, people who are on a similar path, but a bit ahead of you. I, unfortunately, do not know these people. But from the rumors I have heard, the Haltia," she used the unfamiliar word on purpose, leaving an opening to continue the conversation, "draw others together. Once you meet one person, others will come out of the woodwork for you. I think the individual personalities attract each other." Sylvia gave a sad smile. "You are the first person who has been chosen that I've met."

"I wouldn't say a full blown person, per say..." Seeing the little dolls in her head, she just smiled. "Haltia is the name of these beings, in all their forms. And what I mean by you being chosen is simply that. A Haltia does not just land in the hands of a stranger. For some reason, they are drawn to the one that holds them. As yours awakens, you will see where your connection is." Watching her manipulate the doll, Sylvia raised a brow. "I am sorry that your classmates were cruel to you, but there is no reason to suspect anything amiss here. This experience, depending on the soul that finds you, can be quite enjoyable. For the guardians, watching the soul that you are destined to help can be a beautiful growing experience for both beings."