Welcome to Gaia! ::

"It's entirely possible," Scarlet teased. "But I think you're safe for the moment."

Alfons closed his eyes. "Mu. Hölle. Daija..." he trailed off for a second. "Es scheint, dass das Karma hat mich eingeholt." Alfons was tired; he didn't feel like putting in the effort to speak anything other than his native German at that moment. He opened his eyes. "I suppose I should tell you a brief version of how Daija and I became estrang--" Alfons was interrupted by his lungs. He began hacking quite forcefully; a little blood came out of his mouth. Barely managing to stop, he choked out, "That may have to wait."
Dmitri finally sat up to make sure his friend was OK, pain be damned. "Boss, take your time. Ve don't need you to kill yourself just to speak."
----------------------------------
Ciro decided that he was done thinking. Carefully nudging the spider onto a wall, he headed back inside to see what was going on inside; that scream he'd earlier made him a little anxious.

Valthier was worried. Alfons' condition was terrible, and whatever was plaguing his mind was not letting him recover easily. still, he had to remember that the man was safe now, and in the best of care. and he seemed willing to talk now, as soon as his injuries were properly healed.

this was good news, in the thick of all the tragedy. he hoped it would be enough. it was time for him to rest as well.

"rest will do you good, Goldschmitt. you can tell us later. you're in good hands."

he turned and retreated back to Mouse's room. with a deep sigh, he lied down and drifted into his undead reverie.

Scarlet slowly wandered through the narrow corridors aimlessly. At least her guests were on the road to recovery. Val was settled for the night. Now if she could just settle for the day.

She didn't really like being alone. She'd only had Ciro around for a few days--and this wasn't the first time she'd "broken up" with a companion--but he had been special. Perhaps she should call on Kyo, check up on his kleptomaniac habits which he had undoubtedly reverted back too. Again. The cat-boy was usually in the mood for a bit of discipline, and at the moment, even with her strength returned, she was lonely.

Scarlet peaked into different rooms, looking for Kyo. She finished checking one of the smoking parlors and stepped out into the hallway just in time to run into Ciro.

"Oh!" she cried as she grabbed onto him to keep from tipping over--he was more solid than living men.

Scarlet kissed him back and melted into his arms. "I might do it again," she warned. "And I'll never apologize. If you are going to be mine, then you are going to be mind completely."

Scarlet snuggled close to Ciro's cool body, all thoughts of the wayward cat-boy gone. Her man-at-arms was certainly something special--a companion for the ages.

"Come, my lovely. We will retire...well, attempt to tire the first time, anyway," she teased with a wink. She led him down the halls to a safe room with lush futons and solid, soundproof walls, to spend the day away from prying eyes and ears.

As the sun set, Ciro stood with Scarlet at the now-open window. A cool breeze blew in, but it felt warm to Ciro's cold skin. "So, what's the next step in our plan?"
---------------------------------------
Alfons's thoughts wandered from that night with his father to the day Daija kicked him out of the dojo on Iriomote.
"Boy, your father took everything I had. Priceless family heirlooms were in that house he burnt, pictures of loved ones, memories of the past...." Daija trailed off, tears streaming. "What little I had left of my wife was there! And he destroyed it! And boy, I will repay him 10,000 fold for his transgressions. I have respect for you though; you disobeyed his wishes and sought me out, so I will give you this warning instead of killing you outright: leave this island, never comeback, flee, hide, don't get between me and your father, or I will kill you." Daija's tears had stopped, and he walked up to Alfons, who was by the entrance of the splendid dojo. Cicadas buzzed in the trees. "NOW GO!" Daija punched his pupil, launching him out of the building. The cicadas stopped.
Alfons sighed and looked at is now-cold, barely-touched meal. He set it aside and got out of bed with a great effort. He figured he'd step out for some air.
-------------------------------
Dmitri was dressed in fatigues, and had climbed onto the roof to watch the sunset. A servant had helped him up and had given him another bottle of vodka. Dmitri took a swig as the sun descended behind the mountains. "Takaya krasivaya, eto nebo. Ya skuchayu po Rossii." he muttered, and took another gulp.

((Такая красивая, это небо. Я скучаю по России./So beautiful, this sky. I miss Russia))