Welcome to Gaia! ::

Lena approached the gilded double doors with some trepidation and wondered for the who-knows-how-many times what had convinced her to accept the invitation to an appointment. Then she remembered the story Sera had told her...and her dream. Keeping both memories in mind, she steeled her resolve and walked up to the doors with the intention of pulling them open if it came to that.

Lena looked up, startled at the sound of a young woman's voice. SHe hadn't expected to run into anyone so soon. Looking around, she spotted a desk and the owner of the voice. The first thing that struck Lena about the young woman was her very red hair. The next thing was how friendly she seemed.

"She seems like the kind of person who I could probably enjoy coffee and cake with. Either that or discuss methods of keeping moody teenagers, who are prone to flying away for hours at a time, happy" thought Lena.

Rubbing her arms nervously, Lena replied "Um...hi. My name's Lena. About a week ago I received a letter from this place saying that I was eligible to possibly become a guardian for a...um...Rhuesaian? Well...um...I accepted the invitation for the appointment and well, here I am. If you could tell me where I need to go and what I need to do, that would be great."

Lena gave the young woman a sympathetic smile. She knew what it was like to lose track of everyone, and she's not always what you'd consider the as the sane/responsible member of her 'family' either.

It was as she was pulling out a chair in front of the table that Lena suddenly remembered two very important things. The first was that she still didn't know the woman's name. A quick glance at the name tag told her that she was (very aptly) called 'Flame'. The second thing was probably more pressing. Lena picked up the chair and carried it a little way from the table (though hopefully it wasn't so far that Flame would take offence), sat down and gave the woman an embarresed smile.

"I'm sorry about this. You see...um...how do I explain this? A while ago my adopted daughter daughter and son carried out another of their weird experiments that no sane person would ever touch or go near. Unfortunatly for me, my sanity was having a day off and well, before I knew it, something happened and now whenever I go near electronic stuff, they sometimes go nuts. It's slowly wearing off but still, I wouldn't want to take any chances with your equipment. Anyway, my appointment was for...could you give me a minute please?"

Lena quickly opened her shoulder bag, took out the letter and very quickly scanned it.

"Er yes, my appointment is for the possible guardianship of a female Ruesaian I believe."

Feeling a little more at ease, Lena mentally chewed on the first question for a while.

"Well, I'd have to say that for the first question, my greatest fear would to be alone. I mean, as long as you're with people and they get to know you, then if something happens then they'd still remember you at least whereas if you were alone, you would really, cease to exist as soon as you die right?"

Lena sat quietly and thought (which in itself is soemtimes a rare feat) about the second question. Her mind turned the four choices given over and over until her head ached. Reaching into her bag for the bottle of water she knew was there, she suddenly saw her answer with crystal clarity.

"For your second question, I would have to choose 'boundless freedom'. I belive that yes, all the other options are very important for life as well but sometimes, if we don't have the freedom to go through with what we want to do and achieve, then it would be so easy to let ourselves become so entrenched in the ways that society tells us we should act and want, that we run the risk of losing the memory of what the open sky, sea and horizon looks like. I mean, just because you have freedom doesn't neccesarily mean you're going to turn criminal!"

Lena checked herself at that point. She'd gotten too carried away again. Azarae and the others were always telling her that she sometimes got either too passionate or weird for her own good (not to mention the sanity of the others around her). Sheepishly, she looked Flame with a nervous smile.

A happy water huh? Lena mused over the possible names for the child.
Eliseth? Nah, too 'airy'. Ara? Nope, reminds her too much of Arab which would make it better for a fire or earth element. She would need a name that sounded more...flowing. Like a gurgling stream, letting the water sing over stones, the sound providing so many with peace and relaxation...

"Do you think, 'Senae' will be ok for her name? Will she like it do you think?" Lena asked Flame anxiously.

Lena took the crystal with both hands and stared at it. It seemed to 'glow', almost as if there was a spark of light inside it, almost as if soemthing, or someone was waiting for the right conditions to emerge.

Getting up to leave, Lena suddenly remembered her manners.
She turned around and smiled at Flame.

"I'll take good care of her, I promise. And if you need my help with anything or want any information, please feel free to contact me at any time. It was very nice meeting you."

With a small bow, Lena said goodbye and left the building, wrapping the crystal up in tissues from her pocket tissue pack. At least with Senae being in a crystal, Azarae and the others will have a bit of time to get used to the idea of having another person in the family. Whistling a sprited tune, Lena walked home, all the while planning a room for little Senae (when she grew up a bit).

Days... He had planned this for days. He would waltz in and sweep Flame off her feet by showing her that someone thought that he would be a good gaurdian for a child--a child who just happened to be envolved with her new job. A week before Victor had went out and purchased a nice outfit. On Tuesday he had gone over what to say in his mind...

Why was it all falling apart now?

Instead of the smug feeling of satisfaction that he wanted, deserved, there was a grueling sensation of nausea welling in his heart. Doubt plauged his mind, and shackles of hesitation chained him in front of the building. Every reaction that his emotions threw out could be viewed as remorse... remose for hurting someone he loved dearly. Victor let out an aggravated sigh; any emotions that were cursing him had been subdued--the rational concious had lost.

"Hellooooo, Flame." He made sure to wear his biggest grin as he pushed open the doors to the 'clinic.' His new suede boots made a scratching sound on the floor as he ambled on over to his ex-lover's desk. If he wasn't smug before, he sure as hell was now.