Hello, how may I help you?

[Julianna]

Deliciae; known for it's beautiful and natural vegetation as decorations, and the goldhearts as they were informally known as. Here, you could meet the nicest individuals you have ever encountered in your life. You could spend a day just walking among the people, mingling and taking in the sites of this wonderful port city. Some might have found themselves feeling lucky to live in this beautiful city.

Lillian Calvare would be among that group of people. Ever since she had found herself wandering among this city many years ago, she had felt like the luckiest being to be able to start over here. Even now, she found herself just amazed at how she had made this port city her home. She felt extremely lucky to have found herself among the kind people when she simply had no clue of even who she was.

Lillian sighed, letting her memories become settled back into the place they had drifted from. "I must be grateful for every day I have here." She whispered to herself, a basket of herbs clutched tightly in her hands, just in case she encountered someone who would be in need of what she had with her. She just walked slowly, a welcoming smile on her face, and kept an eye out for anyone who was in need of assistance.

[Sky]

The last note drifted through the air as the small forest elf lowered his wood flute and smiled. Today was a good day for music, it was beautiful. There was no rain or snow, or even to much heat to keep people from walking around Deliciae. He looked up and smiled, thanking whoever approached and placed money in the instrument case in front of him. Shou was well known in the city for his musical talents, making it easy for him to earn a respectable amount of money each day.

He raised his instrument to his mouth and paused, was that a crack he saw in the side of it? It couldn't be, he had sung this from a tree only a few weeks ago. He sighed and lowered it slowly to inspect the instrument, dreading every moment of silence. He hated it when an instrument broke on him, luckily today wasn't one of those days. The light from the sun was just playing tricks on his eyes.

He smiled up at the people and spoke gently, always smile, that stole people's hearts, especially if you're as small as he was. "Sorry about that, shall I play something I wrote to make up for it?" He smiled as he started to play, the song started on a few beautiful notes that quickly spiraled into chaos, making it a fun song to dance to if you knew the rhythm to it.

[Julianna]

Lillian stopped in her tracks suddenly, and listened as a melody of beautiful notes drifted over the heads of people passing by. "Oh my, who could be playing such a melody?" She murmured, and started to head through the crowd, murmured and soft excuse me's tumbling from her lips as she snaked through the people to the source of the music.

She stumbled slightly as she broke through the crowd of people, and tumbled into a clear spot a couple of feet away from where Shou stood and played his wooden flute. Lillian caught her footing, and made sure she has not lost any of her herbs in her fall. Satisfied, she smiled, and walked quietly closer to where Shou played, setting her basket down by her side. She knelt, reaching into it and extracted a beautiful white bloom that almost matched her.

"I am sorry that I do not have money to offer." She apologized as she placed the bloom lightly inside his instrument case. "But I hope you will accept this and find it useful in your future." She smiled down at him as she stood, stepping back a bit as she closed her eyes and let the music drift over her. Slowly, she began to move with the rhythm of the melody, twirling elegantly then moving in contained and beautiful chaos as the pace quickened.

[Atra]

Castle life was little more than sitting all day and allowing people to cater to your every whim. It was not a life she regretted for herself, but it was certainly a life she felt she had to escape every once and a while. Wandering her beautiful city, she could not stifle the immense feeling of pride that coursed through her veins. This was her city, her people, and the product of her ruling. Who wouldn't be proud, knowing the most beautiful place in the world was yours?

The Countess, wearing an elegant blue and white cloak with gold trimmings. She wore this, although it reeked of wealth, when she didn't want to be instantly recognized. It's not that she was invisible by any means, anyone looking at her face could see she was the Countess of Deliciae, but from the back and sides it was harder to tell who it was. Sometimes she wanted to feel at one with the general populous.

After attending a brief session at the Deliciaen chapel, offering gold coins to the various chapel priests and priestesses, she made her way through he streets of the city. Talia, Dillan, Jared, Orchid, Atratus ticked all the citizens she saw off her head, with a small smile at each of them. She rounded a corner and heard the familiar notes of the forest elf. She had heard his music before; it was always beautiful, never failed to disappoint.

Making her way over to the small crowd that had gathered around him, she stayed towards the back, her hood hanging just on her hairline. The beat of the music quickened a bit, and the group began dancing all around her. Refraining for a moment, she stepped up and dropped three gold coins into the case. She smiled before drifting backwards, melting with the dancing crowd as she twirled and wove with the crowd. She found herself unable to stop smiling, and her laughter rang quietly around her.

[Sky]

Shou was too immersed in the music as he started to step back and forth with the beat of it to even hear Lilian nor see the countess walk up and place the flower and coins in the case. He resisted hte urge to smile, knowing it would only mess up his playing as he continued to flow back and forth to the music. His playing slowly started to slow back down to the tempo it had started at. He ended on the same string of notes in reverse that he had started on, each slowing down even more until he had held out the last note for close to a minute.

Shou lowered the flute slowly, taking deep breaths since he had little time to take them while playing. He looked down at the cast and nearly jumped, a flower. A flower much like he had given to a friend long ago only a few days before the tragedy. Was she the one who placed it there? If she was he was definitely going to freak out and find her as soon as possible.

Shou picked up the flower and held it above his head. "Who was the one who gave me this flower?!?" His voice was friendly, almost hopeful at the thought of finally finding her again, the one girl who he had spent his childhood with.

[Julianna]

Lillian smiled as she danced along with the beat. She felt like it had traveled straight into her soul, lighting it up as it traveled through her body. It was like the music was a puppet master, leading her every movement with each note. She laughed once more people had joined into the dance, and soon enough the whole place seemed to be dancing along with the boy's music.

Like Shou, Lillian had not seen the Countess join into the dance. Though she caught the sound of her quiet laughter, and turned along with the beat to discover the source. Her eyes widened a bit at the sight of Countess Atratus. She had seen the Countess times before, but it had been from a farther distance. "Countess." She curtsied lightly, a smile alight across her lips as she moved back more into the crowd.

She felt it almost physically once the music started to drift about slower, her movements following as well until with one final spin, she came to a stop with the end of the music. She turned away from the crowd, her sight set on Shou as she walked forward to thank him for his gift of music and a enjoyable dance for the people, but she stopped when he jumped.

Did something bite him? she thought with concern, and stepped forward once more to see if he was alright. She stopped again when he raised the flower over his head, and asked in a friendly voice who had given him the pure white flower she had placed into the case in the beginning. "I did, sir." she replied quietly as she stepped up next to the boy. "I did not have money with me...so I thought that the flower could be of use to you in thanks for your music...."

[Sky]

"O-oh....It's fine, I just thought that...." Shou sighed and looked up at her and smiled sadly. "I had a friend a while ago that I've been looking for, the last day I saw her I gave her a flower that looked exactly like this. I've been looking for her for a few years now." He knelt and placed the flower back in the case and smiled to himself.

"Even if it isn't from her I still have hope that I will find her one day. Maybe it's time for me to move on from Deliciae. She must not be here after all...." The young forest elf knelt down and started to carefully scoop all the Aurei from his case and into a pouch with all of his coins in it. He carefully placed his mandolin in it along with a pouch containing the flute.

He sighed and stood up slowly. Shou looked up at the taller angel and smiled a little. "I guess I'll see you when I make my way back here. I need to get to moving soon." He looked down as he picked up the bags and mumbled a little under his breath, grabbing onto the necklace around his neck. "I know you're out there somewhere....."

[Julianna]

Lillian could not point out why, but the boy's sad smile made her suddenly want to cry. She felt her heart sink, like it was pierced with an arrow and was now falling slowly. He must really miss this friend of his... she mused silently to herself, her eyes saddened with sympathy. "You must really know your plants..." she replied as she smiled at Shou faintly. "It is not common for people to notice this flower much that I have witnessed."

"She could still be here you know." she mumbled quietly, turning as she looked around for her herb basket. Not noticing it anywhere, she sighed, deciding that she could just get another later. At least wherever it went it could be put to good use. Lillian turned quietly back, watching Shou gather his things and pack them away.

She smiled back at him, and nodded. She looked at him curiously when he grabbed onto the necklace around his neck. "I have a friend that may be able to help you find who you are looking for." She stated, and smiled a little more. "She has come to visit me from her village to check up on things, and she too is looking for someone as well. Maybe you could help one another?" she asked, and took a step back as he lifted his bags so that she was not in the way. "If you would like, that is." She added, her tone friendly. "I do not want to get in your way if you do need to move on from here..."

[Sky]

Shou nodded at her coment on knowing a lot about plants. "My mom trained me in herbal medicine before she was killed, I learned a lot about that from her." He smiled at her a little sadly as the emotions he felt that day flooded back. Once he found his friend he would set out to avenge the death of their families. He had been training a while for the moment when he could take the mysterious man by storm and make sure he never killed an innocent family again.

He looked up at her curiously when Lilian stated that she had a friend who was also looking for someone. Could it be her?.... the small forest elf looked up at Lilian and smiled, "That would be nice, it's always good to be able to travel with someone else to ease the loneliness."

Shou motioned for Lilian to lead the way and turned to follow her to wherever it was that she would lead him. "By the way, what's her name?"

[Julianna]

"That explains why you knew that flower so easily." She nodded, her expression pleasantly happy, but her eyes still saddened. "I am sorry to hear about your Mother, and I hope that she is at peace now." She watched the boy quietly, watching his reactions to whatever seemed to be running through his mind.

Lillian laughed quietly, the sound like light bells ringing softly in the air. "A traveling companion is always nice when you go from place to place." She replied, her laughter quieted after a minute. "Then you can be certain that someone is always going to be there for you if you need it." She turned lightly on her heel, walking away from where Shou had set up, and in the direction of her home.

"Her name is Arianna." she answered brightly, and smiled at the thought and memories that flooded her mind at the mention of the forest elf's name. "She is such a sweet soul, and I am sure that she can help you find whomever you are searching for. She will either know who it is, or she will put all her heart and determination into trying to locate them for you."

[Sky]

"My journy may finally be over...." He paused and whipped his eyes, not really believing what Lilian had told him. Shou had heard her say Arianna but was it the Ari he knew? Were they both the same person, or two different people by other names. Could it be that the girl he thought would be his traveling partner would actually be who he was looking for?

Shou started walking, having to jog lightly to catch up to the taller lesser angel. He didn't have anything else to say, and could think of nothing else but what he will do if it is Ari that he is being taken to. Will she recognize me? Will I recognize her? His thoughts continued to race at what felt like to him an increasing rate.

He was nervous and excited all at the same time now. What was he to do if it was Ari that he was being taken to? Would the events have left her emotionally scarred? He sighed and looked up at Lilian. "How close are we to your place? What is Arianna's last name?"

[Julianna]

"We are not far from where I am currently living." Lillian replied, turning onto a narrow, dirt road lined with a beautiful array of trees and flowers. She looked around in the tree, wondering if she would find Arianna there or at her home. "She has not told me her last name..." she looked at the ground, and frowned a bit. "I never thought to ask her." she lifted her head and smiled, and walked over to a nearby tree. "What are you doing up there, silly girl?" she placed her hands against the tree's rough bark, and looked up into the branches of the tree.
______________________________

"I just wanted to gather some inspiration for you!" A sweet, melodic voice trailed down from the leaves as the petite frame of a girl dropped from the tree and landed beside Lillian. She straightened up to her full height, her messy braids full of leaves and small twigs. In her left hand was a bright blue feather. "You said you could never finish your painting because you needed the blue color of a bird feather, so when I saw this I grabbed it for you!'' she smiled brightly and placed the feather in Lillian's hand before twirling over toward Shou.

She stopped in front of him, her smile still alight on her lips. "I am Arianna Rodriguez." She spoke happily, and held out a hand to him. "And who might you be?" she asked, no indication of recognition in her voice or expression.

[Sky]

Shou nodded and looked around in the trees and smiled, they were very pretty. Nature was always that way, but then again he was an elf and his connection to nature was great just because of that one fact. He looked at the girl now standing before him, Arianna Rodriguez was the name of his friend, and if she recognized his name then it had to be her.

Just as he opened his mouth he heard the beat of wings and felt talons dig into his shoulder. He reached up and stroked the feathers on Hayato, who seemed to never fail at ruining his thoughts. "I am Shou Zaisan." his eyes trailed to the necklace around her neck and he nearly jumped forward to look at it closely. Hayato's claws tightened, bringing him back to the girl before him. If it was Ari she had matured a lot since he last saw her.

She was beautiful now. He almost couldn't believe that it really could be her. He looked down nervously, not wanting to see her reaction to his next question, "Do you recognize me at all Ari?

[Julianna]

Lillian turned away from the tree, and accepted the feather that Arianna offered to her for her most recent painting. "Why thank you, little one." she smiled as Arianna twirled over to greet the new guest. "I shall be on my way home." she spoke quietly, directing her voice at Arianna. "Would you be kind enough to show him around once you two have finished speaking?" she turned silently away from the pair, and continued on her way down the road to her home.
________________________

"Yes I will Lillian." Arianna replied as she looked up to the sky, and watched as Hayato descended from the sky and onto Shou's shoulder. She laughed quietly at the sight, the sound like hushed bells in the wind. She took a step back as he almost jumped at her, his eyes focused around her neck. She reached up, and clutched the stone hanging gently at her throat in her hand, watching him warily as the bird pulled him back, her eyes catching the gleam of the necklace that was settled around his neck.

Shou Zaisan....that sounds so familiar....She mused quietly, something in the back of her subconscious starting to break free and glide silently into her conscious mind. It broke open like a clam shell once it settled, pearls of her memory spilled out and shined brightly with the information they held. One was of her at five years of age, her hand held out to her father as he placed a necklace in her hand, the other secured around her neck.

"This is for him." he spoke in a hushed voice, his eyes and expression alight with happiness. "Special necklaces so that even if you become lost, you will able to find one another in the end."
"Oh thank you father!" Arianna exclaimed, and hugged her father tightly before she ran outside, to where her friend had been waiting for her when she had been called inside by her father. "Look at what my father made for us!" she giggled as she raced around behind her friend, and placed the necklace around his neck. "Necklaces so we can stay connected forever!" she smiled as she walked to her friend's side. "Isn't it pretty Sky?"

Her eyes widened as the memory ended, her expression in a state of shock. It could not be! She had been alone without him for almost ten years, and suddenly he stood before her. He looked so different from every other memory she had of her friend. He had grown up so much that she almost could not tell it was her friend underneath it all. "S-Sky?" she asked nervously, her long ago friend's nickname tumbling from her lips as her gaze lowered to the ground as well.

[Sky]

"A-aye. That was the nickname you gave me so long ago, alogn with this necklace..." He placed his hand over the necklace and looked up, a small smile lighting up his face. He shifted his weight nervously, not really knowing what to say next. Here she was, Arianna, the girl he had thought he had lost so long ago but knew deep down that she was still alive.

Now that feeling, that hunch was proved to be true. She was standing right here in front of him. Hayato lighted down off of his shoulder and hopped over to Arianna. He looked up at her curiously. "So you're the one we have been looking for all those years? You aren't-"

Shou jumped forward and clamped Hayato's beak shut. He was not going to let him insult her already, especially since it had been so long since they last saw each other. "Don't mind him, he is always insulting people. Like he said, I've been looking for you for going on ten years now. I've been wondering this for a while now too, and if it's not to soon to ask, which I hope it's not. What exactly happened that day? I went to your house and found it in flames. I thought you were dead for the longest time because I couldn't find you..."