[OOC] Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

[xivyxx]

Though the girl had taken the food, she had not taken a bite of it. This had partially surprised Lucien, as he figured most children would not have hesitated to eat, especially if they were as hungry as she was. The child was very much intelligent, and weary of him as a stranger. It was impressive, but that also meant he should be more careful in his words.

Finally, the girl spoke, albeit quietly. Lucien of course did not hesitate to answer her question in the most detailed way he could. She didn't want him to think they were hiding anything.

"We are in Middletown, New York. You collapsed on the road.. we thought it would be best if we brought you to the closest town we could find." He told her, wanting to make sure she knew that she at least wasn't incredibly far from where they had picked her up. He figured the more information he gave her, the less confused and weary she might be. He really wanted her to eat.

"I'm sorry if I've frightened you, I promise that you are safe here. My name is Lucien." He introduced himself before attempting to reassure her once again.

[FreckersFrog]

The girl's mouth was set into a hard line as she listened to the stranger explain. She gripped the piece of jerky he had given her between her fingers and tried to force herself to focus on the task at hand as the scent of it wafted to her nostrils. Her mouth filled with saliva as she imagined biting into it, of eating a handful of these small pieces of dried meat, and her stomach growled loudly again.

The man's honesty and straightforwardness was a little surprising to her, but her face did not change from the look of focus that had settled on it. If she told herself, if she pretended that this was all research, that the information was her ultimate goal, she could keep herself from being distracted by hunger or exhaustion. She had to stay on task, though she felt dizzy and tired beyond measure, she had to remain focused.

"We?" she asked this immediately as the last word, the man's name, left his lips. It had sounded familiar to her, as if she had heard or felt it before, but she couldn't be sure. This was not something she could remember right now, not with so much going on right in front of her.

The use of 'we' meant that there was more than one person here. She had to know if they were alone or if others were listening or watching. She leaned over slightly to look over the man's shoulder, but saw no one in the back of the trailer unless they were hiding inside one of the closets or under the bed in the storage area beneath. She turned to look over her shoulder and realized that she must be inside of a vehicle as he noticed the two seats and windshield. A pair of eyes drew hers away from the glass and the sunset beyond it and she noticed that someone was sitting in the passenger seat, peeking around the side of it to watch her and the man...Lucien converse.

"Who's that!?" she said in surprise, her voice cracking as she attempted to raise it. She looked back at Lucien, alarmed as her eyes went wide and her chest began to heave. "What is this place, a bus? Where are you taking me!?" Despite her rising fear, the weakness and dehydration was beginning to make her head spin from being so worked up. She felt a wave of calm pass over her, but fought against it. Who knew what kind of abilities this man could have. He'd seen her forehead, her eye...he knew that she was...different.

But she knew that she had seen him before, his face looking down at her, but he had been shorter then. Or, had she just been taller? She remembered feeling calm in the vision, and knew she was smiling, she was happy. It had been a long time since she could remember being happy. But in her vision of her own future she was content, she may have even been more than that, and Lucien was there...and others too. A girl with stark white hair, a huge redheaded man with kind eyes, a girl in a wheelchair whose smile split her face from ear-to-ear...all of those people had been with her in the vision. Were they here too?

She felt herself growing even more dizzy and closed her eyes as the eyeball in her forehead rolled back and forth violently. A headache was growing in her temples, threatening to get worse. She couldn't afford to loose consciousness now...

[xivyxx]

It seemed that her notice of Aurel had scared her, as the girl began to shoot into a panic. Despite this Lucien remained calm, not wanting her to freak out any further. It wouldn't be good for her current state. Clearly she was more concerned with her current location than she was about eating. It showed the girl was clearly weary about this entire situation... Not that he could blame her.

"Please calm down. We're currently parked in town, since we didn't really know where to bring you. That is my nephew, Aurel. My other friend is currently out buying some actual food for you to eat. I understand that the situation is scary, but I assure you that no one here will hurt you." It was clear that she was famished, considering how often he was hearing her stomach growl. He didn't want her to get worse because she was too worried about her situation to eat.

"You're currently dehydrated. I will answer any question you have, but please eat something." He pleaded to the girl, clearly concerned for her health.

At hearing the girl begin to panic, Aurel was quick to retreat back behind the seat. He hadn't meant to scare her.. but he decided to stay quiet, not wanting to say anything that could end up making things worse. Lucien.. was good at handling this kind of thing, he knew that from experience.. so he decided to just leave it to him. He didn't want her taking note of his appearance and then getting even more scared.

[FreckersFrog]

Despite her attempt at resistance, the girl was just too tired to keep out the calming presence that seemed to radiate from the man. It encircled him and reached out to her with tendrils of warmth, calling to her like the siren of Greek myth. She had to accept, just this once...maybe everything would be okay.

She let it envelope her and slowly felt her heart rate decrease, the dizziness gently subside, and her breaths slowed to a normal pace. When she opened her eyes once more, she felt calm, relaxed, but still confused. The stran--Lucien was making sense, and somehow she knew that his words were true. If she had seen him in her future, happy, smiling, their arms interlocked...that meant that she was meant to be here, didn't it?

He came into focus again as he vision clarified and the smell of the meat in her hand wafted to her once more. She raised her shaking fingers to her mouth and slowly took a bite of the jerky, ripping it away with her teeth. Her mouth gushed with liquid as she chewed the morsel, and she swore that nothing had ever tasted this good...she closed her eyes as she ate and didn't swallow until the meat was only mush between her teeth. Once she had, she placed the other half in her mouth and ate it a little more quickly, following it with some water before she gulped that down and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

Middletown...that wasn't too far from home. She could get there, but not alone, not like this. Maybe this man and his nephew and his friend...maybe they would help her get there. Maybe they wouldn't, but the feeling that she got from Lucien told her that he would have a hard time refusing this request. She would walk there, if she had to, but she wanted to increase her chances as much as she could. She had to get back home, to see Izzy again. To take her with her, run away, just the two of them...before something bad happened to her, too.

Once she had finished eating and had drained the canteen in her hand, she decided it was time to speak. She held the container between her palms, the cool metal felt soothing on her aching skin. The pain was nothing compared to what it had been...but it was still there. How had she healed so quickly, though? Even if she had been unconscious for days, there was no way her condition would have improved this much. Besides, she couldn't have regained any strength, and they couldn't have given her food or water without fear of choking her if she had been asleep for that long. No, it had to have been mere hours, a day at most, so how had she healed so rapidly?

This was the question she had decided on next, something that she needed to know. If these people were...different as well, she wanted to know in what manner they deviated from normal people. "My sunburn..." she said finally as she looked down at her hands and then her shins, "The cuts and scrapes...where did they go?" she looked back at Lucien, her eyes sharp once more.

[xivyxx]

Lucien let out a small relieved sigh upon seeing the girl finally begin to eat. It seemed she had finally calmed down, which he was thankful for. He hadn't wanted her to end up exhausting herself mentally again.. she needed all the strength she could get. He allowed the silence to remain as she ate, not wanting to make her feel like she had to rush in any way. When she was finally done, she seemed thoughtful for a moment, and again Lucien didn't speak. It was the girl that had broken the silence between them.

Her question hadn't been one he had been expecting, at least.. not yet. The girl's eyes seemed sharp. He had a strong feeling that she was quite the inquisitive child.. but he wasn't sure how much he should say, after all, she was still a child. Still.. she had that strange third eye, and it was certainly not normal, it didn't match the color of her other two, but he wasn't sure what she could do with it either. Lying to her would make him seem less trustworthy, so he decided to go with the truth, just not.. so specific, similar to what he had done with Aurel, though he wasn't sure how much of that would fly with this girl.

He'd cross that bridge when they got to it.

"I healed them." He told her honestly. "It's.. a special thing that I can do, it's why I studied medicine." He added, hoping that might satisfy her curiosity.

[FreckersFrog]

The girl hadn't been expecting this kind of honesty from the man, at least not yet, but she was glad for it. He must have sensed that she was no ordinary child, and the fact that he had not asked her yet about her extra eye socket confirmed this to her. Hearing about his ability hadn't surprised her, exactly, she had read about many different things that she supposed her possible. The existence of her own deformity and the powers linked with it were enough to shake any resistance she had to believing that other things from books were real. If she could see the future and the past, look through another's eyes and feel their feelings, hear their thoughts, experience their physical sensations, than who was she to call this man a liar about his ability to heal. In fact, given the scenario, it made more sense than anything else he could have said.

She nodded, keeping eye contact as she asked her next question, "Where are my things?" She was sure that they would have looked through them, its what she would have done. She also knew that refusing to give them back would be suspicious to her and that this Lucien would avoid alarming her any further. She wanted to check to make sure that everything was there and accounted for.

[xivyxx]

Lucien couldn't help but feel a little surprised that the girl hadn't questioned him any further in regards to his ability.. and had simply accepted his answer. Perhaps there really was more to this girl than he thought. When one was capable of strange things.. it made it easier for them to believe other things was possible. That had been the case with Faolan, and Aurel as well. Really.. what were the chances that he would run into another child with some sort of special capability?

At her next question, Lucien had wasted no time in picking up the backpack from the floor and setting it down at her feet.

"They're right here. I do apologize, we looked through them to try to get a clue to what had happened to you, but I assure you everything is in there." He told her.

"Do you like animals? I couldn't help but notice the encyclopedia you had, even more so to see it was annotated." He commented, hoping that this would help the girl open up a little more. At the same time he was also curious about her, considering this wasn't the kind of book he'd imagine a young girl her age to have.

[FreckersFrog]

As soon as Lucien produced the pack, the girl grabbed it and pulled the zipper open. She rifled through everything quickly while he spoke, grabbing the book and opening it to find her picture, but keeping the book hidden within the confines of the bag as she did so. It had been misplaced when it was put back, so she fixed it and returned it to the bottom of the pack, then closed it up. She lowered the bag to the ground next to her, keeping her eyes on Lucien as she did so. That photo was the only thing that they could have found interesting, as nothing else in the bag really belonged to her.

At his question, the girl pouted slightly, annoyed that he had read through her notes. "I prefer them." she said simply and quietly, then glanced over her shoulder to see that the boy had withdrawn behind the seat and was now hiding from her, but should still be listening to their conversation.

His visage was clear in her mind even though he was out of sight now. He had long light colored hair and strange, wide, eyes, pale skin, and slender of build. He was older than her, but she couldn't tell by how much, not from what she had seen. When she looked back at Lucien, her gaze retained its focus, "Is he really your nephew?"

This was the true test of whether or not this man would be willing to share all of the truth with her, and if he was likely to avoid another direct question. His reaction to this would tell her if she really could trust him, though she had a feeling that he would answer the right way. Although he visions were not always totally accurate, the fact that he was here now meant something. It had to, or else what was the point?

[xivyxx]

Lucien couldn't help but be a little amused by her reaction. "Don't worry, I didn't read any of your notes, I simply saw them." He reassured her, watching her take a glance in Aurel's direction again. It seemed that he had decided to stay out of sight, considering how the girl reacted to him before.

The girl's next question surprised him, but made him chuckle. Even though he had approached this conversation knowing this child was intelligent, he had still somehow underestimated her. From her tone, he had a feeling that she already knew the answer to her own question. Had she even gotten a good look at Aurel to come to that assumption? He didn't really think so... but if she already knew the answer there was no point in lying to her. To think he'd be tested by a child... Ironic indeed.

"He isn't, but I consider him a part of my family." He responded, hoping that answer would suffice. He was entirely truthful in that manner. Over the years, he and Faolan had considered Aurel part of their family. They had practically raised him.. and taught him many things. This.. was probably what he imagined having a son would be like.

At the word "family", the girl's nose crinkled in an unmistakable sign of annoyance...or it may have just been her semi-constant frown that made her look that way. It could have also been sadness, but it was hard to tell without knowing her better. It wasn't hard to assume however that maybe she didn't get along too well with her own.. considering the picture he had seen.

"Do you mind if I ask for your name?"

Aurel could not help but smile to himself upon hearing Lucien say this. It.. was the same for him as well. Having grown up with no true family.. Lucien and Faolan were the closest thing to that. He couldn't remember any sort of parental figures in his life.. but after meeting them.. he could openly say they really felt like that to him. He didn't feel as lonely as he used to, even when he still had the snakes around him.

[FreckersFrog]

"Family", that word was heavy for the girl. Despite her love for her twin, she had no idea what that word actually meant. She had never really experienced a family in the way that most little girls of her age had. From a very young age, she had known that her parents didn't love her. She could hear it in her father's voice, see it in her mother's eyes, their contempt for her because of her difference. In front of strangers, neighbors, associates, they always acted like they cared for her by showing her false affection. A touch on the shoulder here, a squeeze of the hand there, a pat on the head...she'd found herself craving those moments even though she knew that it was all a lie, a show to put on for her parent's peers. Behind closed doors, her "family' acted as if she didn't exist. They never used her name, never looked directly at her, and spoke harshly to her. That was not to say that she had not seen love; this she had experienced in the eyes of her twin sister, Isabella. The two of them had been inseparable since the day they were conceived, and so far it had been her parent's love for her sister that had kept them from abandoning their deformed and unwanted child. That was because they did not know Isabella's secret...that she was special too, just not in a way that anyone could see.

The girl knew that when Lucien told her this about Aurel, he was speaking the truth. She could see it in his eyes, hear it in his voice. The love that had been missing from her parent's gaze, from their words, Lucien's were full of it. "Family" meant something more to him than blood.

"Illyana..." she said, "Illyana Brewer." She had decided. This man, Aurel, and his "friend" would help her. They'd help her find Isabella, and maybe they'd even help her escape. She just had to be smart about how she asked them to do it.

[xivyxx]

Lucien gave the girl a kind smile at her response. "Nice to meet you, Illyana." He told her. By now he could tell that the girl was a lot more relaxed around him. It seemed that he had passed her test, which he was glad for. This meant that perhaps now he could get some answers of his own.

"Now, I don't mean to pry into your business but.. how exactly did you end up on the side of the road? Was there somewhere you were trying to go?" He asked her, hoping this would help him discern whether she was running away or if she had been kidnapped somehow... Somehow he felt like the latter wasn't as likely.. just because of the way the girl acted.

[FreckersFrog]

Illyana cringed slightly at the man's next question as if she had seen something unsavory lurking in the corner. This made her uncomfortable, as it brought up many recent and extremely unpleasant memories. She reminded herself that this was behind her, that she didn't have to relive what had happened to her this past week...she didn't have to tell Lucien everything. Not yet.

"I was on my way home. I got..." she paused, an unnatural liar, deception did not come easily to her, "lost." She looked down at her hands, which still gripped the canteen. It had grown warm between her palms, and suddenly she felt her throat aching for more liquid.

She held the canteen up to Lucien, "Can I have more?" she asked, her eyes large and her voice low and cracked like dry earth.

[xivyxx]

The girl's displeasure upon the question he had asked was clear, but he knew that it was necessary. A new thing he had learned about this girl: She was a terrible liar. He felt a little bad for her at this fact, but it would at least allow him to get more straightforward answers.

"I.. see.." He said. "Well.. where do you live? Perhaps we can take you there." He told her, before nodding at her question.

"Of course." He said, before gently taking the canteen from her and going over to their icebox to get her more water, before returning to her and handing it over.

"My friend should be back soon with some decent food for you to eat." He said, knowing that the jerky hadn't nearly been enough.

"Actually.. Faolan's already back. He's been outside for a while.. I think he was just waiting for the right time to come in?" Aurel spoke up quietly from the passenger seat, causing Lucien to shift his gaze toward one of the windows. That was just like him. He had probably been waiting for the girl to trust him a little more before he came inside, not really wanting to scare her.

"Faolan, do come inside. I don't want to keep her waiting." He called out a little louder than necessary, even though he knew he would have heard him had he spoken in a normal tone.

[FreckersFrog]

Illyana watched Lucien fill up the canteen with wide, hopeful eyes as moisture began to pool on her tongue and drip from the roof of her mouth. She had never known there would be a time when she would want water this badly...it had always been available to her at home. There was more than one kind of abuse.

She took the canteen from his hands and raised it to her mouth, but remembered to answer his question before taking a drink, "I'm from Utica, here in New York. Its not far." With this, she pressed the mouth of the bottle to her lips and gulped down more of the precious liquid.

She only stopped drinking when she heard another name mentioned. Faolan...this must be the friend that Lucien had mentioned. Illyana then turned her attention to the door, her body tensing as she braced for the entrance of another stranger.

Faolan had been outside for some time, and had heard a bulk of Lucien's conversation with the girl Illyana. Not wanting to startle or alarm her, he had opted to wait outside until the pair was finished speaking. He hadn't counted on Aurel's sharp sense of smell, for once, and so was a little surprised to hear that the boy had noticed him. This emotion was only outweighed by pride, the boy was learning well.

As soon as he was called, he sighed and made his way in as Aurel opened the door for him and closed it after he entered. He locked eyes with the child, her green gaze almost mirroring his own. Had to have Irish in her, maybe way back, but it was there. He then looked to Lucien and gestured to the pack he wore on his back. "Didn't want to interrupt, but you're right, I have dinner for us all."

[xivyxx]

Lucien raised his eyebrows slightly at the girl's response. Utica? He didn't recall seeing that town anywhere nearby. He glanced over to the entrance as Faolan came inside once Aurel had opened the door. He gave him a small smile, glad to see him returned, before he looked over to the girl again. Now that Illyana was up and awake.. seeing her and Faolan this close to each other. He could see a bit of a potential resemblance there, in terms of origin at least. It was kind of nice to see, but he didn't comment on it.

"Illyana, this is Faolan." He introduced, before glancing over to Aurel.

"Would you mind handing me the map that's up front?" He asked him.

Aurel was quick to hand that over, but he didn't linger long, having placed his snake on the passenger seat. He didn't want to give the girl a chance to stare at him too much. While Faolan went on to prepare food, Lucien took a seat again as his eyes scanned the map he had Aurel give him.

"So.. we're right here." He pointed to the map to show the girl. "Utica is.. about 150 miles away... How.. exactly did you say you got lost?" He asked her. To be honest he felt bad for so blatantly pointing out the girl's lie, but in this situation, the more truthful she was with them, the better.

"You don't have to give me the details if you don't want to. Regardless of your answer, I wish to help you. I just want to make sure that you aren't in any danger..." He told her honestly, his worry clearly reflected in his golden eyes.

[FreckersFrog]

Illyana watched the giant man enter the bus, noticing that he had to slouch a bit to fit inside of it. He was the biggest man she had ever seen, and in comparison to her he was absolutely enormous. Broad shoulders, strong jaw, sharp eyes, but a relatively smaller waist; he reminded her of a wolf. In fact, when his eyes moved from her, to Lucien, and away again she saw a flash behind them, like the kind she had seen in a dogs eyes when they met the headlights of a car or the beam of a flashlight. He had a strong earthen smell, like moss and mud, and his hair was long and bright red. In comparison to Lucien, who was composed and gentle-looking, the man named Faolan was practically a beast.

A normal child would be alarmed by his presence, his stern, deep voice, his furrowed brow, but she was not. In fact, he gave off a strong protected feeling, as if he were a shield, and she felt safer with him here. It was strange and would have been hard for the girl to explain if she had been asked, but she had always had feelings like this about people.

Still, she watched him warily as he moved to the small kitchenette and began to unpack the bag.

"Nice to meet you, Illyana." he said, but did not let his eyes linger on her. There was something about his gaze that seemed...respectful. It was clear that he was taking great pains not to stare, not to make her uncomfortable, and she liked that about him immediately.

"You too..." she said quietly, taking another sip of water as Aurel handed Lucien the map. She glanced at the boy again, but did not try to stare at him. He seemed older than her, maybe in his teens? It was hard for her to say, but she could tell he was tall and slender, and his hair was longer than any other boy's hair she had ever seen. Even his accent was different than Faolan or Lucien's, and she could tell that they were all probably not American by birth. These three really made an odd trio...

As Lucien pointed to the map, she leaned in slightly to get a better look, but not close enough to touch him, even on accident. As she traced the line of the highway between the two towns with her eyes and she realized how close to the boarder they were...a touch of panic set in. Lucien knew that something was wrong, that she couldn't have been lost as she said, being this far from home. She was unaware that she had been transported across the boarder into Connecticut at any point...she supposed she had been taken much father than she originally thought.

"I'm not," she said, a little too quickly, "In danger, I mean." Her mind raced to come up with a passable excuse for her condition and her distance from home. Finally, she settled on one that was at least halfway believable, if only she was not such a horrible liar...but her throat was still scratchy and her voice was rough, maybe that would be enough to hide that the following was completely false.

"My parents and me...and my sister, Isabella, we all went camping, you see." She began, looking down at the map and them back up at Lucien intermittently. "Mmm, here!" she said, pointing to a patch of green with a lake in it on the map. "It's a big park in New Jersey, with lots of trees and flowers and animals." She paused and glanced around, mostly for dramatic effect, but noticed that both the boy and Faolan were listening to her tale. "I went out in the middle of the night to...you know..." she looked down, embarrassed, and then quickly continued, "And when I went to go back to camp, I couldn't find it! I tried calling out, but I must have been walking in the wrong direction for a while...anyway, morning came and I never found the camp, so I just started walking, hoping that I would find them, but I never did. I didn't know what to do, so I just...kept walking..." She looked around, noticing that Faolan had turned around and crossed his arms, leaning against the counter as he listened. His face hadn't changed, so she couldn't tell if he, or if Lucien for that matter, believed what she was telling them. It didn't really matter either way as long as they helped her get back home.

[xivyxx]

Lucien was a bit surprised at Illyana's reaction at seeing Faolan. He came off as.. intimidating to most children, but the fact the girl had not reacted to him in this way made him smile a little. It seemed.. they wouldn't have to worry about that with her, which was a little relieving.

Her words in regards to being in danger, at least seemed to be truthful. That much he was glad for. So kidnapping was indeed out of the equation. His golden eyes followed the girl's onto the map. They hadn't been to the place she spoke of, so he didn't know if it was actually a park or not, but he knew for the fact the girl was lying. It seemed that despite believing them to be somewhat trustworthy.. she would still not tell them the truth. Lucien decided that was fine, he wasn't going to push her for it if she didn't want to share the truth yet. If she at least knew where her home was, then they could take her there.

They would at least be able to see her.. home situation for themselves.

"I see.. I'm sorry to hear that you were unable to find your way home.. but don't worry, we'll do whatever we can to get you there. Right, Faolan?" He asked him.

"Of course." He said in return. Lucien knew that Faolan wouldn't want to just leave this girl on her own. This situation was different than Aurel's, if this girl had a home to go to, he would make sure she made it there.

Aurel had listened quietly to the exchange. He wasn't sure if the girl was telling the truth or not.. but he had a feeling that there was more to what they she was telling them. He wished that he could reassure the girl that Lucien and Faolan could be trusted and that she could tell them the truth, but he wasn't sure that his word would mean much to her. He at least.. hoped they would be able to get her home.

He turned his attention back to Faolan when Lucien was done talking, his nose twitching slightly. "What did you bring, Faolan?" He asked, catching the scent of meat.

[FreckersFrog]

Faolan had known the girl was lying before she'd opened her mouth. He could hear her heart rate increase at just the thought of it, and smelled the sweat on her brow. Her hands were shaking as she pointed to the spot on the map, and the way she spoke, slowly, as if she was making it up as it was coming out of her mouth. It was of no consequence to him whether or not she lied to them, it would have no bearing on whether or not they helped her. He was only curious and concerned about her home situation. If they brought her back there, how could he be sure that she would not end up on the side of the road again?

This was something to discuss with Lucien, but for now he would have to keep quiet. This girl was also observant, but he didn't know the extent of her skills. She was certainly intelligent, just the way she spoke seemed far more advanced than a child of her age. But she was small, slight, and weak, almost undernourished. In spite of this fact, and knowing that the two adult men in the room held the most power, she was attempting to exert her will, and the Irishman respected that. She had a goal to achieve, and he could tell by the fire in her eyes that she was determined to see it through to the end, come what may. It was this same fire that had kept her walking for days on end. With their help, he had no doubt that she would see the end of her path.

Illyana herself was relieved to hear that Lucien and his friend would help her. Whether or not they believed her, she knew that neither of them would refuse to help a child in need. Aurel's presence here was enough to tell her that much. If he and Lucien weren't related, then that means they had to have found him too...

"Thank you," she said, gratitude flaring in her eyes and she looked between the two men, "Lucien, Faolan..." she glanced over her shoulder and nodded to Aurel as well. Though he'd had no say in the matter, she knew her manners and would be sure that he knew he was being acknowledged as well.

Faolan nodded back to the girl in acceptance of her thanks, then turned to continue what he had been doing. She was a polite little one...he just hope she had learned manners the correct way and not from having it beaten into her.

At Aurel's question, his ear pricked up and he glanced over at the boy and chuckled quietly, "You're the one with the nose, you tell me." But first, he pulled a paper-wrapped bundle out from his bag and turned to hand it to Lucien. "For the gi--for Illyana." He said, catching himself. He knew that use of her name was one way to calm her, make her feel welcome. Lucien had taught him that in his time with Aurel, especially given the fact that they had named him in the first place. After this, he placed some small travelling shoes on the floor by Lucien as well. He never knew what to pick when choosing clothing and only hoped that everything would fit her.

[xivyxx]

Lucien smiled at the girl. "You're very welcome." He told her. She certainly was polite and well-mannered, he could see that clearly.

Aurel had moved from the passenger seat a little, his tongue poking out of his mouth but only for a moment as his nose twitched. He liked testing his nose like this. It was a game that he and Faolan would frequently play. Sometimes he'd make him guess what it was he was hiding, or sometimes he would hide things out in the forest and Aurel would trace them down. It was the best way to sharpen his senses, and honestly the teenager had always found it fun, and would feel quite accomplished when he had found what he was seeking, even as a child.

"Is it roast beef?" He questioned, pausing for a moment. "And.. potatoes?" He added.

At this, the striped snake at the front seat peaked out a little from his lap to look at Faolan as the smell of meat filled the bus.

Lucien took the bundle from Faolan, and set it down next to the girl. "Here you are. We figured it would be best if you had clothes to change into."

[FreckersFrog]

Faolan took a sharp intake of breath and clicked his tongue in mock disappointment. "Mmm, I'll give you about seventy-percent." He then pulled from the bag another paper-wrapped bundle, from which the smell of Roast Beef was issuing, and folded paper bag. He unfolded the last parcel and withdrew a large yellow bread roll from its confines, holding it up to Aurel as he spoke and shaking it to tease him. "Its potato bread, for sandwiches."

Illyana watched Faolan's interaction with Lucien and Aurel closely. She could tell by the way that they spoke to one another that they were all very close...family, like Lucien had mentioned before. It was strange to imagine the three men all living together like that. Who did the cooking and cleaning and looked after Aurel? Although he was a teenager, he still wasn't a fully grown adult. Which one of them worked, and which stayed home? Did they trade off? It was strange to imagine...but then again, if they lived on a bus, there was nothing about their lives that was traditional.

As she watched Aurel peek over the passenger seat, she saw something bundled in his lap. It was...moving? A snake?

Her eyes widened, but in wonder, not in fear. She addressed her next question directly to Aurel as she looked over the arm of the bench, trying to get a better look at the creature in his lap. It appeared that she had completely missed Lucien's statement and the mention of food.

"Is that vipera aspis? A European Asp? They're not native to the United States...how did you get it?" She turned herself on the bench so that she could see better, but her arms and legs shook with the effort of it. Despite her interest, she was still extremely weak, and the adrenaline from the lie she had told was beginning to wear off. She didn't seem to mind her hunger or her thirst, however, and was more concerned with the serpent on board.