Beneath My Skin~

[Julianna]

"James! James! Oh James, Mother is gone!"

James shook his head, pushing the memory to the back of his mind, and frowned as he looked at the crystal now completely cooled in his hand. "Dammit, why can't I get this right?" he growled under his breath, and tossed yet another blue crystal onto the pile beside his leg. At least I will have plenty to give away or sell once I return home... he mused to himself as he dipped his steel pole back into the molten glass set over a blazing fire, pulling it back after a bit, a tear shaped collection of transparent ice blue glass curled around the pole.

James could never really trace back to when he had taken a liking to blowing glass outside instead of inside like he normally used to. He just liked how he could go out into a clearing with what he needed and no idea on what he was going to create, but come back at the end of the day with a decent amount of glass orbs, leaves, or whatever else the environment had inspired in his mind.

He placed the other end of the pole against his lips and blew into it carefully for a moment before rolling it across a small metal table he had placed there a little while back. He picked up the pole, and sighed. "An orb? Not exactly what I was trying to create, but it will do....the color is right at least..." He mumbled to himself, manipulating a small circle of water around it to cool and extract it from the pole before extinguishing the fire with another orb of water. He sat on the ground, rolling the small blue orb in his right hand as he focused on the clear sky overhead.

[Sky]

"Something on your mind James?" Yuji cocked his head to the side curiously as he approached, his winged cat following close behind. "I haven't seen you this distracted in a long time. You can usually make whatever you want with that glass. A sphere is still pretty cool thoguh, I'm sure the count would like something like that to put one of his many potions into."

Yuji knelt next to the pile of glass orbs that obviously James had rejected and picked up the first one he touched, rolling it around in his hands, his own mind wondering to his brother. "Did you hear Takao has gone to Celestial city to follow a lead he has on Chiyoko? I feel sorry for Jared if he finds him anywhere near that city...." He glanced at James to see if he would react to this news in any way.

I know he doesn't like Jared much since Jared wants to kill his family but he has to feel something towards the lesser demon somewhere, right?

[Julianna]

James jumped slightly at the sound of Yuji's voice, shaking his head as he lowered his gaze and stood, turning around to face the Lesser Angel. "Nothing of relevant importance." he replied, and smiled weakly as he gazed at the sphere still in his hand. "I am just having a bad day, I guess?"

He laughed when Yuji brought up the Count. "I hardly believe he would be interested in something like this." he smirked and held the sphere between his thumb and index finger. "A vial on the other hand? That would sound more practical for a potion."

He watched as his friend knelt beside his pile of cast-off crystals, wondering briefly if he wanted the one he rolled in his hand. "No, I had not heard a thing about it..." he replied, and nudged at the pile with the side of his boot. His face smoothed at the mention of his brother, his eyes now frosted over and hardened. "Why should you feel sorry for that ingrate? He deserves every single punishment that anyone feels necessary to throw at the bastard." he stated in a flat monotone, and returned Yuji's glance. "I hope your brother finds him and tears him to pieces for what he has done."

[Sky]

Yuji shrugged and smiled a little, tossing the orb into the air and catching it again with ease. He dropped his bag of herbs and stopped, the aroma's of mint being the strongest since he had recently collected it at Bizi Oasis. He looked up at James and frowned. Jared must have done many bad things if he didn't care what happened to him.

"Honestly, I'm more worried about what will happen when and if Carlie finds out about Takao's plan. She wont lose her personal assassin so easily you know. If I remember correctly she hates to get her hands dirty." Yuji spun the orb in the palm of his hand and tossed it into the air again, catching it with his other hand this time.

"I'm just not sure what to do, should I lie low or join him?" He frowned as he dropped the orb to the ground, watching it land softly on the ground. There was another thing bothering him, a feeling deep down that there was someone or something he was missing. Almost as if he had misplaced something.

[Holly]

The lesser angel was not one for grand entrances, nor was she one for a stealthy entrance either. Her sudden appearance in the same room as James and Yuji was standard, not drawn out with a smug smile or quiet and stealthy like an assassin. She had a pleasant smile on her face and a friendly look in her eyes as she nodded to each of them. Every one of her movements were gentle and graceful, and the aura of a mother practically radiated off of her.

"Good afternoon, gentlemen," Adara greeted, her voice as sweet as sugar. She reached down and grabbed the orb Yuji had dropped only a second before, handing it back to him and patting his shoulder. It was very evident that she had been in her flower shop recent because she smelled of roses and violets and moon lilys.

Following after her a little more hesistantly was Daire, ears down and head low to the ground. Her tail wasn't necessarily tucked between her legs, but they were close. With a reassuring glance from Adara, her ears perked up slightly. "Good day," She said to the two. Her voice was quiet and deeper than Adara's by a fair amount, but it was still very pretty.

"I'm in need of some glass," Adara directed this to James, noticing he seemed to know more about glass. "I was wondering if you could make me a few vases for my flower shop..." The glass pile was starting to gain her attention. Curiously, she knelt down and began picking through it. "I need about... 30 vases. AndI'll pay top dollar for a good vase. You see, the glass blower that lived near me went out of business and moved. So, I need 30 vases. Not too bad, right?"

[Julianna]

"Oh yes," James replied, and nodded. "Carlie was never the type to do things for herself if she could get someone else to do it for her." He rolled the ice like orb in his hand again, his eyes a little distant. "I would not be too worried at the moment....Carlie usually does not figure out plans as easily as others in the family do. Another reason why she likes Jared so much." he replied, frowning a bit. "I would lay low for now, see if anything gets around that could cause worry, and if it does, I will go with you to help him out." He stated, smiling a little at him, which disappeared quickly when Yuji's expression changed.

"Yuji? Are you..?" he began to ask, but trailed off warily when Adara entered the clearing. He could not help but notice the pleasant aura that seemed to radiate from her, and relaxed him slightly. "Good afternoon to you as well..." he greeted quietly, watching as she picked up the orb Yuji had dropped and returned it back to him. He turned slightly as Daire entered behind Adara, seeming almost scared until a reassuring look soothed her some. "Good day to you as well." he answered, smiling a little.

He nodded when Adara requested that she was in need of some vases. He walked over where his fire had been blazing a few minutes before, and lifted his steel pole from the ground, leaning against it. "Did you say...thirty vases...?" he asked, as his ice blue eyes widened at the number. He had never been asked to make that many at once. There were so many variables involved with it, more so if she wanted the same, uniform vase. But he was up for it, excited to be able to make something that would be seen with a purpose. "That is not a bad request at all,'' he replied, and shook his head. "Was there anything in particular you had in mind for those vases. A color, or shape?"

[Sky]

Yuji snapped out of his odd state and looked up to see Adara. He was surprised to see her there, it was curious to him. He couldn't help but notice how alike this lady and Holly looked, though his memory may have just been bad. Last time he had seen her was when he went to an arena match, and Takao had been the one to point out the young mystic in training to him. He knew he would meet Holly in person eventually though since he wanted to be a mystic one day, not that it would happen for a few more years, and until after he found someone to teach him.

"G-g'day to you too. How are you this fine day?" Yuji awaited a response but then turned to James, wondering what he was about to ask him. He used his auxiliary to ask James, What were you going to ask now James? Just think it, I'll use my Auxiliary to hear it, unless you are okay with asking it now that a stranger is here. By the way, do you have any idea who this lady is?

[Holly]

"Yes, I said thirty vases. Hope that isn't too much but I need enough for the shop in case people really want them. And, since autumn is coming up, I need to make sure I have enough for the seasonal plants and such," Adara explained simply, making it sound as basic as going to sleep for any normal person. "If you could, I'd just like thirty vases, no need to make them all the same." She smiled easily at the two.

"Some color would be nice," Daire added, nodding her head barely. She stretched her wings out as far as she could before folding them back in and sitting down. Her ears were up now, relaxed, and her eyes were brighter and much more friendly than they had been a second ago.

"By the way, my name is Adara and we are doing fine this day. And this is my dire wolf, Daire. And your names?" She kept her voice light, staying as friendly as she ever had. She was clearly not aware that Yuji was telepathing to James.

[Julianna]

James shivered for a single moment, dropping the pole he had been leaning against. He was not used to someone being able connect with his mind and hear his thoughts, for it had not happened for a long while. He had never really liked the concept to begin with. It always felt like to him that it was an invasion of something that was supposed to be only for that individual to know for themselves. But sometimes it was necessary when you needed to communicate without outside forces being in tune with it.

It was nothing of importance Yuji. You just looked strange and I was going to ask if you were alright....his thoughts echoed back to Yuji like a ghost. As for her, I do not have any idea who she could be...she has a pleasant aura though.

"Thirty vases should not be a problem." he replied easily, smiling faintly at Adara as he began to walk around the clearing, and gathered small logs into his left arm. "It is nice to have freedom with their design though. That will make it easier to complete, and quicker to get to you once they are finished." He looked over to the fire pit for a moment, walking over and laying the logs in a criss-cross pattern over one another.

He looked up at Daire, and nodded, smiling a little more at Daire's changed expression. She seemed more relaxed around the two of them than she had before. "Color is particularly more pleasant to look at with a vase then a plain transparent one." He scrutinized the pile before him, his pale blue eyes grazing over the set-up as he stood and brushed the dust from his clothes.

"Hmm, since you are aiming to use these vases for autumn, I shall try and go with the colors of the leaves as they turn." He looked at Adara out of the corner of his eye. "Unless you had some other colors in mind?" he added at the end. He always wanted to ask about what the individual preferred, wanting to make people as happy with what they got in the end as possible.

"My name is James Calvare." he replied lightly, his tone friendly as he turned to face Adara, picking up his steel pole once more and leaning it against his side under his left arm.

[Sky]

Yuji nodded to acknowledge James's comments as he watched Furai approach Daire curiously. He laughed a little when the cat jumped back, it's own wings spreading wide when she spread her wings. "It looks like we both have a companion with wings. Only you appear to have a wolf instead of a cat."

He looked at Adara and smiled a little. "I am Yuji Orimura," he motioned towards his winged cat. "And this is Furai, my trusted companion." The angel started to role the orb around hin his hands again, his mind wandering back to what ahd been bothering him before.

He knelt and rolled it over to Furai, who in turn batted it around like a kitten. He laughed a little as the cat darted around, playing with the sphere of glass. "I'm surprised that sphere of glass is so strong. How thick did you blow that James?"

[Holly]

"James and Yuji..." Adara trailed off for a moment to think about the names and whether or not they sounded familiar in the slightest. "I believe I've heard of another Calvare, though I'm not quite certain," She thought aloud, leaning lightly against Daire as she placed her index finger on her lower lip, and a thoughtful expression found it's way onto her face. After a moment, she shook her head in defeat of finding any Calvares in her memory bank.

To James question about what she prefered, the lesser angel smiled and waved her hand dismissively. "You are the artist. I do not hinder art by giving it limits. Autumn colors you want to make? Then autumn colors you should make. I am following your instruction through the vases, not the other way around, James." She stood up and scratched Daire behind the ear.

"She is hoping that you make a vase that's pink, though. For her daughter," Daire murmured, eyes flicking to the cat with wings before going back to James.

"Oh, Daire, I'm sure she'll be fine with what ever vase happens to be dropped off at her door," Adara answered and beamed like a little kid.

[Julianna]

"It is not that large in size." James replied, and knelt as he watched the cat's darting movements as it played with the orb. He placed the pole onto the ground absentmindedly. "Also, I did not want it to break very easy, so it is not that hollow." He watched the cat for a few more moments before turning his attention back to Adara.

"It is very well possible that you could have met someone with the last name Calvare. My family is not exactly what you would call small." he looked up at Adara, tilting his head slightly to see if anyone came to mind. Once she shook her head, he shrugged and pushed off from the ground.

"You are one of very view to say something like that." he laughed, and walked over to a nearby tree that had low, rather thick branches. He rocked back on his heels, took a running start at the tree. As he reached the lowest branch, he grabbed onto it with both of his hands and swung his body up and over, landing on the balls of his feet atop it. "Most people are very particular with what they want, and make it rather difficult to make them exactly what they expect." His voice is muffled by the trees for a moment before he leaned back, and hung upside down from the branch with his knees and hands keeping him secure.

"A pink vase, eh?" he asked, and smiled at Daire and Adara, the lesser angel's pleasantly happy mood becoming infectious. "I am sure I could make a lovely vase for your daughter." he looked down at the ground as he pushed his legs off the branch, letting go as he body swung around and hit the ground feet first. "Or something beautiful if it is not a pink color. Would you want me to take this vase to her once I finish, or deliver it with the rest to you?"

[Sky]

Yuji smiled as the cat batted the sphere under a nearby dresser. "You silly cat." He looked up at Adara and smiled a little. "That sounds nice. I wonder what Takao would think if I gave him a pink vase. He would probably kill me or give it to his dragon...." Unless he has the same feeling deep down that I have....

He glanced at James and laughed a little. "You and your climbing around in trees. When have I been around you and you have not jumped in a tree?" He laughed a little and stepped forward, placing his hand on the tree. He couldn't blame James for liking trees. They lived so long, If only they could talk to us...

He stepped back and looked over at Adara. "James, you're busy, I could always take it to her daughter myself. I don't really have anything better to do. Where does your daughter live Adara?"

Meanwhile Furai was still trying to figure out how to get his new toy out from underneath the dresser. He jumped up on the dresser to see if he could get behind it, seeing that he couldn't he jumped down and sat down, not knowing how to get the glass sphere.

[Holly]

A worried glance passed over Adara's face. She suddenly frowned slightly and sighed, rubbing her hands together in a fashion that suggested that she was concerned with something. It was nothing against Yuji or James, it was more or less a scold to herself about being so open with who she knew and who she was related to. How ditzy could she be sometimes? After all, she was supposed to be dead.

"Umm... You have to promise not to tell anyone about my relation to the person I'm about to say. She, is very important to me and I'm still trying to think about how to bring myself to confront her without seeming like a bad parent," Adara murmured, loud enough for them to hear, but also very quickly.

"Adara is supposedly dead, wants to stay that way to her daughter and to everyone else. Her daughter is Miss Holly Skies of Acerbus Umbra," Daire explained.

"If you wish, you can deliver the vase to my daughter, but you can not tell her it's from me," Adara smiled, though, sure that they wouldn't tell. "You can tell it's from you, though, if you so wish to. Or say it's from anonymous. It does not matter right now."

[Julianna]

"Heh, he would definitely kill you." James replied, and shook his head. "Your brother is not the violent type when it comes to you, at least that is how it seems to me." he leaned his back into the tree, and smiled a little. "Quite frequently. I am not the avid tree climber like some others. You just happen to be around when I am in the mood to be among the branches I guess."

He shrugged, crossing his arms over his chest. "I am not that busy to not be able to deliver it myself. I would rather do so after I am done. You can come with me if you want though." It could also be a good opportunity to start out and see what Takao is up to as well. he mused, wondering if Yuji could still hear what he was thinking.

He watched Adara as her aura seemed to change. It seemed as though all of a sudden that she was uncertain that she could tell them something. Like she was keeping a secret that she did not want many people to know. "I will not speak of it, if that is what you wish." He nodded slowly as she spoke, his expression curious as to why she saw herself as a bad parent.

His eyes widened slightly as Daire spoke, and he lost his footing and almost tumbled to the ground at the name of her daughter. "You are the mother of Holly Skies?" his tone was of pure disbelief that slowly faded. "I will be sure to bring it to her without a mention of you Adara, I promise you that." he smiled at the lesser angel. "I will present it as a gift from an unknown request that came to me." He shrugged away from the tree, and let his arms drop to his sides. "I am curious, and you do not have to answer me if it seems like an intrusion, but why would you want to be dead to your daughter, or anyone else for that matter?"