Welcome to Gaia! ::

Business had come to a lull for Granny during the afternoon. The influx of new Dreamers had stilled, and even business had slowed with the summer's weather. The afternoon provided enough heat that the air was on, the sun peaking through the clouds as people strolled the streets.

It was also one of the first days in some time that she was closing on official shop hours, perhaps even early. The world seemed to be holding its breath in anticipation; it was only a matter of time until she would discover what.

But until then, there was summer, sunlight, and perhaps something more.

Granny looked up when she heard the knocking at her door, accustomed to people entering when they wanted to come in and look around.

"Come in," she called as she closed the inventory book and set it aside. Dressed inan A-legnth skirt and embroidered blouse, the elderly woman had the look of eing at home in her shop as she stepped out from behidn the desk. It took some time for a response in turn, but at last Anderson appeared in the doorway, though he looked a slight bit perturbed.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Ray," Granny greeted with a smile. "How have you been?"

"I don't mind at all. Please, have a seat." Granny gestures to one of the plush, high-back chairs off to the side of the room as a small frown o fconcern touches her face. It had been some time since she'd last seen Anderson, but she remembered he had been one of the Dreamers who were haunted by nightmares. Though he seemed rather well put together, she wondered if that was the same reason he was seeking her out.

"Would you like some tea?" Rather than join him immediately, the shopkeeper stepped towards the door and turned the sign hanging there so that it read closed, then joined her guest nearby.

“How lovely! Thank you, that's very kind.” Granny's lips lifted into a delight smile as Anderson mentioned the fruit, nodding as she turned towards the bowl of brightly colored cherries. She stepped to one side, intended to start a kettle of water and perhaps sharing some of this surprise with Anderson when the bowl began to rock of its own accord. Her brows raised as he reached out and caught the bowl before it could crash, the action holding a refined, even honed edge.

“It certainly seems that way,” she mused, reflecting on his choice of the word “adventure” with a small chuckle and a sigh. “Your companion is rather spirited, but you seem to be doing well.”

Granny's smile gentled as Anderson deflected the comment, listening to his concerns with a mix of appreciation and understanding. At his question, however, she paused, gazing at Anderson for a moment before answering.

"It makes perfect sense," she assured him. "'s quite possible that the dream originally came to you as some kind of message, and that was what drew the Oneiroi." Again the pause, and for a moment it would see as though Granny saw someone, or perhaps something, other than just Anderson in her shop. She sighed and shook her head. "It could also be just a dream that has no specific meaning or answers other than what you give it, though Oneiroi tend to prefer the former.

"Ah, look at me, already forgetting things. The tea can't make itself, despite what we may wish. I'll just be a moment."

"That sounds lovely. Thank you." It took Granny a moment to understand what it was Anderson was proposing, her quiet, delighted laugh filling the shop It had been quite some time since she'd last had a gentleman caller.

"I'm sure I can manage slipping away for a while." She walked behind the desk, retrieving a small purse from somewhere out of Anderson's sight. A soft pink spray of flowers was embroidered on the bottom flap, seeming to dance as Granny's fingers brushed against it, followed by the jingling of keys. She lay her free hand in the crook of his arm.

"You are as surprising as your companion, Mr. Ray."

"At times, yes," Granny admitted with a small nod as Anderson connected the dots within her statement. "Though it's not always something they are fond of." The evening air was comfortable, lacking the heavy humidity that had hung over the city with recent storms.

She gave a thoughtful hum at his observance that the Oneiroi wore his face from a younger time. It was possible the being was more of a trickster sort, but it could also be the way Anderson saw him.

"It may be that they wish for you to see them that way, or perhaps you yourself do," she admitted after a moment. The shopkeeper's pace was easygoing, but there was energy in her step as they strolled, almost as though prolonging the walk so that they could talk at whatever pace would be needed.

"An Oneiroi chooses a dream that resonates strongly with yourself. Perhaps it is a hidden fear or concern you have when reflecting on your past?"

Granny smiled as they entered the tea shop, drinking in the ambient music and comfortable atmosphere. It felt like a second home, in some ways as they selected their own table.

“Thank you.” Her smile grew at Anderson's courtesy, adding her own thanks to the waitress when she arrived. Anderson was asking potent questions, his concern adding to her own as he mentioned being tormented by his Oneiroi. Nightmares could be quite troublesome, and sometimes it was difficult to tell exactly what line needed to be drawn before deciding their attitudes needed to be calmed to a respectable degree.

“They are very much their own persons.” She chuckled dryly in response, recalling previous memories of some of the more spirited Oneiros she had come across in her work. But Anderson wouldn't know these memories unless she spoke of them, so she elaborated as his questions continued.

“They have their own ambitions, fears, desires, everything we do. That doesn't mean they will always be willing to share what those are, though. Some prefer to never have their Dreamers exist, so they take the form of something familiar within the dream. It could be that your own is doing something similar.” She paused, skimming over the menu as she thought on what had been hinted at so far, then lifted her pale gaze to her company across the table.

“How much trouble are you going through?”