"But that doesn't make sense. This is a library." Alai's brow furrowed in confusion. This place, it really was a strange one, no magic and no spell books. That was just..It was..Unimaginable. He pressed the coin gently into her hand when she passed her fingers over it and chewed his bottom lip slightly. Those blue eyes were unreadable as he looked around, people were staring at him, but the way they looked at him, was as if they disapproved of his clothing. True he always chose the more feminine styles, but still a mage robe was just a mage robe.

When she suggested they go now, he only nodded. Blue eyes uncertain and a little afraid though he put a happy smile on his face and brought his hand up to wave politely at the people staring at him. A few guys looked him over with a lecherous look in their eyes, clearly mistaking him for a girl. Alai fluttered his lashes at them for a moment and then slipped his hand into Lucrese's. Twining his fingers with hers. "Has no one here ever seen a mage before?" He looked over all the people staring at him, and gave her hand a very gentle tug, silently urging her to hurry and lead him away.

Honestly, a library that didn't have tomes was not a place he wanted to be in anyway. He really should have realized it, after all, he couldn't feel the subtle power emanating from any of the books. All mages could tell when they were near a tome, it reacted to the magic inside of them and they could feel it. It was a subtle feeling but one Alai knew well and he certainly wasn't feeling it here.

Quickly taking the coin, she slipped it into her pocket. With a sigh Lucrese rubbed her head lightly. She was so tired of trying to explain things to him. Instead, she tugged him along away from the crowds of the library and out onto the street. Her blue Volkswagen bug was in a nearby parking spot. Without a second thought, she maneuvered Alai into the passenger seat without waiting for him to say anything. They really needed to get to her apartment so she could try and explain things to him without getting interrupted or stared at.

"Mages don't really exist here, at least not openly... Not that I know of anyway." The car was probably going to keep him fascinated for a while. She hoped so anyway. Driving out of the library parking lot, she maneuvered around until they were rolling down the back roads. Soon enough they were pulling into an apartment complex, an old one but it looked to be very well kept. Slipping out of the car, she moved to hold the door open for Alai.

Alai was quiet, he was beginning to think that there really was no magic in this world. Especially if there were no mages. He let her lead him away, as soon as they set foot outside, Alai's blue eyes went wide as he stared around at the buildings and vehicles. The building designs were a bit odd, but it was the cars and other vehicles that really caught his attention. Before he could even pounce on one of the odd things to ask it questions Lucrese was already tugging and pushing him into a small one of those, whatever they were. Blue eyes blinked. It was a machine of some type then.

But what fueled it, if not magic? He stared at the interior of the car very studiously. "Such a strange wagon or carriage this is." But that's surely what it must be, when she cranked the car Alai started slightly, and looked around. For such a thing to move without being pulled by horses or fueled by magic completely baffled him. That was alright, because soon Alai was very distracted by the button that makes the window go up and down. It kept him distracted the whole way to her apartment, and from as many times as he pressed it, it was a wonder that he hadn't worn out the window.

When they stopped and she held the door open for him he stepped out of the car and blinked at her. "What, is this thing and how does it work. Can I take it apart." He had turned from her to look over the little car. Poking it in places and walking around it a few times before he came back to Lucrese. "It doesn't use steam or magic to run. What fuels it, what makes it work?" He was practically bouncing on his feet with the need to know.

Despite herself, she broke out in laughter. Such wonder! Alai acted like a child ready to discover everything. "No you can't take it apart. As for how it works, well I'm not sure I can explain." Turning away from the car, she moved to take hold of Alai's hand in her own to tug him along behind her once more.

"Time to see where you'll be staying for the next little bit." Hopefully the white haired boy would be ale to figure out a way back to his world. Lucrese found herself loath to imagine what her world might do to him if he stayed there too long. It made her shudder just to think of it as she vaulted up the stairs. Opening her door absentmindedly, she walked inside and with relief.

All her antique furniture and seconhand things were a comfort. It made an island of this place away from the noise of the streets where Lucrese could relax without worry.

Alai frowned for only a moment when she said she couldn't explain it to him how it worked. He found that a little odd, but let it slide. Smile on his lips and those blue eyes seemed to be filled with excitement. He poked the car window just before Lucrese began to tug him along. He practically bounced as he followed her into her home, once they were inside he slipped his hand from hers and began to move around quickly. He nearly seemed to glide across the floor instead of walk as he moved, though for the most part he did kind of hop and skip around.

He found the kitchen almost immediately, head tilted to the side as he stared at the sink. Almost cautiously he reached for one of the knobs and turned. When water came from the faucet, Alai's eyes widened greatly. A wash basin and you didn't have to pump the water. It was such an amazing thing, he turned the knob in the opposite direction and giggled softly when the water turned off. What a wonderful piece of machinery, but how did it work? No matter, Alai was already turning towards the stove and peering at it curiously. He opened the oven door and looked around inside. It seemed pretty odd for a storage space, and the knobs on top, what exactly did they do.

Alai reached over and turned one of the knobs to the first setting, which happened to be 'High'. Nothing seemed to happen, so Alai tilted his head to the side and stared at the stove intently. Was it broken it? Oh..it wasn't! Within a few moments one of the coils on the top of the stove was turning from black to a lighter color. It was kind of pretty but what was the point of this large contraption. He glanced around, looking for Lucrese, even as he spoke and reached out to touch the quickly heating up stove burner. "What is this strange thing, what does it do?"

(( *facepalm* Alai!!!! ))

Lucrese put aside her bag full of books in her bedroom. For a little while she rummaged in her closet until she found an extra pillow and blankets for Alai, which she put out on the couch while glancing at him once in a while. He seemed to be doing alright playing around with the faucets. At least he wouldn't get hurt with that. After fluffing up the pillow for a little while longer, Lucrese wondered if letting him sleep alone in her apartment was a good idea. There was no telling what he might do in such a place so alien to his own.

That was when she looked up upon hearing his voice. Pinkish eyes wide, the young woman bolted towards the kitchen and found herself getting all tangled up with the mage's cloak. "Don't touch that! It burns, like metal after a blacksmith puts it in the coals." He would understand that right? Lucrese tried to calm her trembling as she reached out to turn off the burner, then turned to look at Alai again. She was still all tangled up in that cloak of his, but didn't want to break it with her struggling to get free.

Alai's hand was so close, nearly close enough to touch that burner when Lucrese came rushing in and tangling herself against him and within his cloak. He blinked at her questioningly for a moment as she explained it would burn him. He didn't see how it could do that, but this place was a strange place. "Oh..but there isn't any fire." He seemed a little confused about that, this world was a confusing place. His arms wrapped around her, hugging her gently, then he began to work at getting her untangled from his cloak. His hands moved, gently and deftly, within moments he had her free of the long garment.

"So, I shouldn't touch that strange thing." He nodded towards the stove, and had spoken the words more as a confirmation. Alright. Alai whirled around quickly, turning towards the refrigerator. He moved towards it and pulled the door open. He blinked. Cool air came from inside of it and he reached in to touch something, he drew his hand back. The object inside was cold too. For a place that didn't have magic, it certainly had some very interesting nonmagical contraptions. "How does this work?" But he was already closing that door and opening the freezer door. It was even colder in there. "...Everything's frozen.." He reached in and grabbed an ice cube. He stared at it intently then put it back in the ice tray.

He closed the freezer door and slowly turned to look at Lucrese. "...How does it work if it isn't using magic?" Alai felt a little dizzy. This place with all it's strangeness was a little hard to take in and he hadn't even seen much of it yet. "I..It's...Everything is so interesting but how does it all work?" He was so curious and he sounded almost like he needed to know.

She blushed as Alai hugged her, but made no comment about it. Even if she thought he was a he, he could be a she. There were flat-chested women out there too. Not to mention, Alai could belong to an entirely different species. Now she was all confused again!

The pink haired girl absentmindedly put the stove on again and put out a pot to start cooking spaghetti sauce as Alai poked around in the freezer. Looking up at his question, she smiled absentmindedly. "Electricity powers the freezer, the stove and the lights. What makes the stove get warm though, is gas." As she spoke, she threw in a few spices to the tomato sauce, and put out some water to boil.

"I really can't go into anymore detail, since I have no idea how these things are made. I can say that science has advanced so much here in this world, that it might as well be magic. Well, it would certainly seem so to our ancestors." Or to someone from a magical world like Alai. She really did need to find a way back for him. Lucrese would hate to see his inquisitive, joyful, spirit crushed beneath the weight of her world.

Alai just blinked at stared at Lucrese as she gave him a rather lacking explanation of how the things worked. Electricity? He wasn't sure what that was, but didn't ask, Alai didn't think he would get a good answer out of her. She didn't seem to know very much about the things she used daily, and he found that a little odd. Alai smiled at her though, at least a little explanation was better than no explanation at all, really. Though now he wanted to know what she was doing over there with that thing he wasn't supposed to touch.

Within moments Alai was at the stove again, watching as the water began to boil. He stared at the stove and the pots on top of it, peering at the spaghetti sauce for a few moments. Lucrese was cooking, with this odd, bulky thing that burned. Alai just watched it for a moment then turned away from the stove. There were other rooms he could explore, but he was a guest. It would be a little rude to just go snooping around Lucrese's home, but he was sure it was filled with interesting things just like this room was.

She watched the food cooking and grinned once it was done. Meanwhile she kept a half eye on Alai to make sure he didn't get into anymore trouble. Pink hair coming undone, the young woman whirled around to gather up two plates and begin putting the food out onto their white surfaces. Taking the steaming plates, Lucrese walked over to the table. "Come on Alai, you must be hungry." She waited until the young man seated himself before giving him the plate and settling down herself.

Lucrese started eating with a small smile while looking here and there. "So what is your world like?"

Alai watched Lucrese as he prepared the plates and set them on the table. His stomach grumbled lightly and he continued to smile brightly. Alai was hungry, and quickly he removed his long cloak, folded it several times and draped it over the back of his chair. He sat down and eyed the food for a moment, then watched Lucrese as she sat down in front of her own plate. He tucked some of his hair behind his ears and pushed the strands back over his shoulders so the long tresses wouldn't get in his food.

Alai had just picked up his fork when she asked him about his world. He shrugged. "Vastly different, I suppose." He giggled lightly at that and began to eat a little. "There are castles and towns. Villages to protect and monsters to slay." He shrugged again. "Magic is everywhere, in everything and almost everyone. It's almost as necessary as breathing." He ate a little bit more. "There are entire villages made in the tree tops. Griffins and dragons to be slain, kings and queens. Wizards and warriors. Adventures and quests to go on, treasure and fame to gain." He was smiling so brightly. "I could take you there. I'm sure, once I figure out how to go back, it'd be easier to show you what it's like than to tell about it." Sincerity was in his eyes, Alai was very serious. And happy at the thought of going home and the thought of showing the place to Lucrese.

She waited a little nervously to see how he would react to the food. Once it was obvious the white haired otherworlder was enjoying the dish, it's creator began paying attention to his words. A look of wonder crossed Lucrese's face as Alai went on. "I would like that, very much." Which was an understatement, though it was also a quite frightening idea.

Going out into a world with all of that .... She didn't know how she would cope. "But I have to warn you, I might stick to your side." Not letting him out of her sight was more like it!

Alai was enjoying the food. It was a little different than what he was used to, but still very delicious. He was also careful to not make a mess while he ate. Alai liked the expression on Lucrese's face and he giggled softly. "Like it? No. I'm sure you'd love it." Those blue eyes of his twinkled with knowing for a moment. As if he knew something she didn't. He gave her a slight shrug at her next words. "Don't worry, I'd keep you safe from all danger." He spoke the words so easily, so matter-of-factly, as if it were really so simple and so easy and maybe it was. He wriggled in his seat for a moment and quickly finished the food. He licked his lips. "That was very delicious." He complimented her cooking with a smile, though it seemed he did everything with a smile.

The certainty in his voice had Lucrese leaning forward a little with a questioning look in her eyes. What made him so sure? Lucrese wasn't even sure if he was a he. Just another one of those confusing things about this whole situation she supposed. Maybe she could clear that one up at least. "You're a guy." She said it like it was the truth, even though Lucrese wasn't sure.

Alai giggled as she leaned forward and stated that with such certainty. Honestly he was surprised she was still hung up on that, then again. She was a human. "I am. Most humans can't tell, it's more fun that way." Of course sometimes it did get him into trouble. Some humans just didn't enjoy being tricked like that. Especially when he carried it a bit to far by acting very much like a girl. Sometimes he did things like that without thinking, a pouty look or a fluttering of his eye lashes. Those things came naturally to him. Alai was still smiling, and he nodded slightly, reaffirming her words. She was absolutely right.

To say this was strange would have been a serious understatement. After munching on her supper for a while, Lucrese lifted her eyes to meet Alai's. "You're kind of a tease, aren't you? Or a trickster at least." As she spoke, her mind shifted to other matters. Maybe there was a way to send him back and go with him. Wasn't there something about the solstice coming up soon?

"What kind of things would be in a spell to send you home?" That was rather important. It was important to her to send him to his world before her own drove down his spirit.

"Tricks can be fun." Alai seemed quite amused as he wriggled a bit in his seat and shrugged a little. "I'd need a ritual not a spell. I can't do magic other than healing, but anyone can do a ritual. I'm not sure what things would be needed for the ritual. That's why I'd need to find a book with that ritual in it. It would tell me everything I'd need to know." But Lucrese had said there was no magic in this world, so did that mean there would be no ritual books, no real spell books or things like that? He had been in that library, and it hadn't been helpful, none of the books there had felt magical in the least. "I'm not in too big a hurry though, I would really enjoy seeing more of this world and it's strangeness."

Lucrese frowned as she thought that over. There weren't any rituals like that in any book of spells she'd ever come across in her world. But maybe by looking into the past they could figure it out. The ancients of her world had looked to magic everyday of their lives, and so must have had some idea of world travel. There were legends of it weren't there? Look at King Arthur being taken to Avalon! "That's it! We'll need to read up on legends and myths, there might be clues there." Excitement bubbled up in her heart at the thought that maybe this was all real, and that she would be able to see another world.

At Alai's words, the pink haired woman let her mind return to the current situation. "Well ... I think you might have to change your clothes before I show you any more of my world. I don't really care if you dress as a woman or a man, but what you're wearing right now is really outlandish around here."

Alai nodded a little enthusiastically, mostly from Lucrese's own excitement about reading up on things and searching for clues in legends and myths. That did seem like a very good idea to him. In his experiance most myths were just truths that had been exageratted a little bit. So there had to be some that could help him. When she mentioned his clothing though, he blinked owlishly and looked down at himself, tugging lightly at the skirt. "It's a mage dress." Outlandish? Was his clothing really so strange, even if he was wearing the female version, the male version wasn't too much different. Well, the male version covered more skin and was very loose pants instead of a skirt. He did remember the other people in the library, and how they had been dressed, compared to their clothing, his was rather exotic and unusual he supposed.

Alai stood from the table, stepped away from his chair a little bit, and twirled. His skirt whirled around his legs, threatened to even tangle around those slender legs, but it didn't. He didn't get tangled in it or fall. "Alright..I can change my clothes I suppose. But I don't have anything with me to change into, and even if I did, I don't think it would be any less 'outlandish'." He frowned for a moment as he stopped twirling, his skirt settling down around his legs and his blue eyes on Lucrese.

She watched the young man start twirling around with another frown. Though this one was for another reason entirely. What size was he? Alai could probably pull off wearing some of her clothes, at least until she took him to the mall and broke out her debit card. Nodding to herself, the pink haired woman slipped from her seat and placed her now empty plate into the sink.

Finding her way to Alai's side, she grasped his arm and tugged him gently towards her room. It was down the short hall from the living room, and was a rather modern little place with everything neatly organized. Once inside, the young woman threw open her closet and pointed at the clothing inside. It varied form overly frilly dresses, to jeans and t-shirts. "You can borrow some of my clothes until I have the time to bring you to the mall." That was going to be quite the experience, she was sure!

Alai let out a startled squeak, followed by a giggle when Lucrese suddenly grasped his arm. Well it was sudden to him, he hadn't been expecting it at all. He let her tug him towards her room, and he watched curiously as she opened the closet. He was curious about all the things that were in her room, but the clothing seemed to hold his attention once the closet was open. "Oooh." For a few moments he didn't move as he just stared into the open closet, then he moved forward and began rummaging around. Alai started with the dresses, though he much preferred skirts, and somewhere in the back of his mind he wondered what a 'mall' was.

The healer was a little too distracted right now to ask about that though. He made his way from one end of the closet to the other, pulling out a pair of jeans that looked like they might be tight. Then he pulled out a black t-shirt. Studied it for a moment then nodded. These clothes were a little odd. Different than what he was used to, but not by much. He turned towards her, and held up the jeans and shirt. "I like these." He beamed brightly at her.

She hadn't thought her clothes would be such a wonder to Alai. It was kind of cute, how excited he'd gotten over all of it. Lucrese found herself with an image of the young man in a dress, and blushed furiously just as he turned to face her with his finds. Shaking her head to rid herself of her strange imaginings, she wasn't used to imagining guys in dresses, Lucrese cast an eye on the pants and shirt. "Then they're yours." A smile crossed her features, and again a shy blush swept across her cheeks.

It was going to be so strange seeing her clothes on Alai. Which was why she was thinking of bringing him to the store soon. That was going to be an adventure in itself! He was sure to ask questions about everything, and wanting to run around everywhere. There was only so much she would be able to do to try and curb his enthusiasm.

"Great!" He tossed the two pieces of clothing onto her bed, and turned back to the closet. He began to rummage more completely through the dresses. Eyeing them all thoughtfully and carefully. Something tight, that would fit his slender curves and not be too loose up top. That's what he was looking for. Dresses and skirts were more comfortable than pants. They were looser and his legs felt freer in them. Usually.

After a few minutes, he pulled out one of her dresses, held it up. Stared at it for a long few moments, then faced her. "I like this too." Would she let him have that, or at least borrow it? It was pretty and he was sure to look pretty in it. He wriggled slightly on his feet, as if he were anxious to put it on right now. He did look almost like he wanted to dive right into that dress.

She blinked owlishly when Alai pulled out a dress. It wasn't one she liked too much, because it just didn't really flatter her. Pink was more her color then the pastel blue of the dress. Blushing now, she nodded wordlessly while trying to stop herself from wondering just how cute he was going to look in it. Biting her lower lip, the young woman shifted uncomfortably. "Is there anything else you like? I don't mind if you take more, since I was planning on giving some away."

The words were soft and shy, and a little nervous. Suddenly knowing that Alai would be living with her was a little daunting, even scary. Lucrese wasn't used to living with other people, and certainly not a young man she maybe was starting to like. All of that despite the fact that he came from another world, and that he liked wearing women's clothing. Then again, historically speaking, there hadn't always been that divide. At least, not such a big one.

"This is enough, I think." He smiled so brightly at Lucrese, holding the dress up with one hand, he ran his other hand over it gently. The fabric felt nice and he was sure it would be comfortable too. That was important, after all. It was hard to look good if you weren't comfortable in what you were wearing. "I'd like to try this on.." He watched her questioningly for a moment. Wondering if he could try it on in here, or if he should go to a different room. He didn't really mind which, and he didn't care to terribly much if she wanted to stay in the room as he changed clothes. In fact, Alai was already pulling his top off before she could answer, he was just too anxious to put the dress on.

He pulled off his tight top and let it fall to the floor, then slipped the dress on over his head. Alai glanced at Lucrese for a moment, as he reached to his waist, his fingers fumbling here and there on the outside of the dress and in moments, his long white skirt had fallen to the floor. Pooling around his feet. Alai stepped out of the puddle of fabric and twirled twice, bright blue eyes on Lucrese, smile on his lips and he smoothed the material a little when he had finished his twirls. "Well, how do I look?"