Near the break of dawn, as twilight started to rule the skies, Eiser and Arkas finally flanked the people's appraises and got back to their hospital ward. Both of them quietly closed the door of the ward as everyone inside was already asleep.
"Goshh!! Where were you guys! I was so bored!!"
They couldn't see who it was since there was pitch blackness inside the room.
"Pull the curtains. I can't see who it is."
Eiser said.
As Arkas did that, the sublime light of the moon chandeliered the four corners of the room. Eiser's eyes met those weary ones of Sandy's and he gasped.
"Sannddyyyy!!! You're awake!!!"
He shouted, so moved by emotion, he instantly jumped to hug him.
Meanwhile in the back, Arkas grew increasily frightened as he saw his only fear, Chloria regain consciousness.
"Hey!! Quiet down! Jerkkk!!"
He silently whispered to Eiser. Yet Eiser was so into it that he didn't hear a word and continued to squeeze the life out of Sandy.
"Ei-Eiser, Please! At this rate you are going to choke the life out of me!"
Sandy barely spoke.
As he heard, Eiser calmed himself down,
"Ohh!! I am So Sorry. I couldn't control myself!!"
He said as he violently shook both of Sandy's shoulders in opposite directions.
Yet as he was doing that, he sensed some sort of chill at his back. A feeling of haunting and lurking darkness that had come to take his life.
As he looked back, he screamed in utter dread. It was almost as if he had seen a devil with an undone bun and spiky horns, personally come out of hell to escort him there. In one of the devil's hand was the lifeless corpse of his fallen comrade and that same fate had approached him aswell.
"W-w-w-wait!!!"
Eiser screamed, but all in vain as Chloria proceeded to feed them with her devilish fists of love until they were out like a ragdoll.
Ana and Lolopechika had also woken up yet even after being called out for help, they knew better to pretend.
------
After Chloria's rage was settled with. All of them ate the food that Arkas had bought with the little money he had.
"How much did you spend on all these items anyway?
Lolopechika inquired.
"Hmm Hmm" Proudly, "Oh you could never guess... You are wealthy Pecko". In a sudden trauma, bowing his head, "Mama always used to beat me whenever i would spend more than 200 Orbs."
Arkas reflected.
"Hmph.... I didn't spend all that much either. But that aside, Why aren't you eating anything?"
Lolopechika continued.
"Tskk... That's because a Blue Ogre decided to do black magic on the food items before we brought them here!!"
Arkas ravaged at Eiser.
"Oh pipe down!! All i did was perform detoxification. I have noticed minor traces of mana in most of the food items that are being sold here".
Eiser explained as he munched down a piece of meat.
Everyone's expressions got alarmed as Eiser said that even Chloria's heart raced for a second as her eyes widened, vividly.
She thought to herself,
"Does he know about it?"
Yet then she calmed herself;
"I must pull some strings"
She murmured. For just thinking about it made her heart heavy. For it was a cost, Chloria was not ready to pay once more.
"Mama!!"
Arkas shouted as he found Chloria lost in herself.
"What happened? You look some sort of tensed."
He inquired.
"Me?? Oh nothing! Its nothing!! I just got lost in thought. Yikes... This burger sure is tasty. Isnt it?"
Chloria cleared herself. For she wasn't ready to face the truth. Eiser glared at Chloria the whole time. For he had gotten to know something. The dark chasm that surrounds everything.
"Come to think of it Blue Bro! Where is Riley Bro?"
Sandy quickly lightened the mood with a question.
"Oh Yeahh!! I haven't seen him with you guys!"
Ana added.
"Oh that guy from Bald Theif Gang? He woke up before everyone and ran away without telling anyone."
Lolopechika replied.
"He must've gone back to the orphanage. I'll go there tomorrow morning. After escorting you guys back to Lolopechika's home."
Eiser added as he munched down his fifth meat stick.
Arkas watced him ineptly. Yet then he couldn't control his self,
"Hey, That's your FIFTH MEAT STICK YKNOW!!!"
He shouted.
"Huh? So why should i care? You're talking like you've been stuck at your first! You started eating at the end and that's your FOURTH!!"
Eiser shouted back.
Chloria listened to them quietly yet slowly both of them started to get on her nerves again.
"Heyy... You two". Both Eiser and Arkas took gulps as they heard Chloria's ravaging voice. Yet she continued, "Your faces haven't healed yet have they?". She said as she knocked her knuckles, ready to beat them to a pulp again.
All of them ate to their fill, arguing, agreeing and finally rejoicing after a long hard battle. By the time they finished their meal and packed their items, Chloria had beaten the two punks for the third time and the Sun had already clocked in for the day. With Arkas carrying Sandy on his back and Doctor Therdeo finally discharging them, The Party finally reached The Signet Manor at midday. Giving importance to the constant requests of Ana and Wandera, Eiser decided to visit the orphanage the next day together with them. The Party, did nothing particular the rest of the day. Took it slowly dozed off and just relaxed on that day.
-------
In the night, everyone famished themselves with a great meal by the hands of prestigious chefs of The Signet Manor. Afterwards, Lolopechika and Ana went ahead to sleep in Lolopechika's room whereas Eiser and the boys were given fluffy and comfortable futons to sleep in the half broken hall. Since the Manor was still in the process of rebuilding after the Mega clash against the Chained Dogs and Drew Ecolipe.
"Alright! I've seen enough, There's no way I am sleeping in the centre. It should be you since you claim to be the leader."
Arkas mocked Eiser.
"Oh Yeah... You want me become the leader, Well then Obey the leader and sleep in the centre!!"
Eiser argued.
This comeback was so good that even Arkas started to laugh unironically.
"Ohohohoho..... Now you've done it!! Lets have a competition! The winner gets to sleep wherever he wants!!"
Arkas proposed upon being roasted by Eiser.
"Hmph.... I refuse!"
Eiser replied.
This reply enraged Arkas even further. He got so ireful that nerves started to pop up on his forehead.
"Huhh?? Why?? How come you refuse??"
Arkas spoke in a more heavy voice than usual.
"Ummm you two carry on I'll go ahead and sleep in the centre. And please turn the lights off."
Sandy said. As if to not care about thier ordeal.
.....
In the Morning, Eiser and Sandy, after having breakfast, suited up in the clothes Eiser had thoughtfully chosen for everyone of them.
Eiser was clad in a Brown Waist coat, layerd over a White Jabot Shirt, Long dark black pants with hooks on either side to correct the waist and long black boots; Above all, he dropped a dark blue cloak on his shoulders, that was tied to a blue stone around his neck. He slicked his hair back tightly and started to glare at himself in the mirror in hopes of correcting any imperfections.
"Hey Eiser, These clothes are abit oversized, Don't you think?"
Sandy asked as he was checking the fitting of his arms and waist, floating his arms in the air.
As he wore a dark brown dress shirt, the same color as his' and Eiser's hair. He roled his sleeves to his elbow length, thinking that they are too long for him. Down, he wore a slightly light brown shade of straight fit pants with dark brown checks designed all over; Along with Straight cut shoes that completemented his attire.
As Eiser saw Sandy, embellished in the outfit he chose. He went over the moon, as his eyes started to sparkle. He quickly hugged Sandy and picked him up, shaking him blatantly, here and there.
"YOU LOOK SO CUTTTEE!!!"
He said as he rubbed his cheeks with Sandy's.
But then he put him down and got into deep thinking. Sandy looked at him in confusion as he did.
"What Now?"
Sandy asked.
"Nothing but, i do think that i made a mistake with your proportions abit. Are you even shorter than Arkas?"
He asked with utter ineptness!
"Huh? I am! I am only 13 yknow!! I'll grow tall soon! Hmph!"
He said as he folded his arms and looked sideways with a pouting face.
Eiser chuckled, pat his head, then asked him to come along to eat breakfast.
Both of them came out the door after, Eiser held the door for little Sandy. Yet as they did, they were embraced by a hurricane of warm hugs and embraces of Wandera. Who rushed to the sight of the two coming out of their room.
Everyone, except Arkas, appreciated the modeling look of Sandy and Eiser. While Akras glued his head down towards his empty plate.
Cheery smiles and revelling emotions filled the air, as then all of them sat down together at the table, Even in the midst of all the broken mess, the ecstasy overcame.
After eating the breakfast, Eiser and Sandy left a dreary looking Ana back there.
As both of them got out the main door of the Manor, Eiser noticed Ana searching for something inside the Wooden Cabin beside the Manor.
He asked Sandy to wait, As he, then went inside the Wooden Cabin.
"Is everything alright?"
He asked. Ana didn't listen as she was too focused on hoggling out items from their travel bag.
"Ummm Anastasia?"
Eiser spoke again.
"Hmmm?? Ohh... Sorry, i didn't know you were here?"
Ana finally replied, as she got hold of the Telecommunication Device, entrusted to him by Steve.
The slight drowsiness, and the blackness beneath her frail eyes were all too vivd for Eiser to notice as he asked,
"Is everyrhing Alright, Anastasia?"
Worried, that his teammate might be facing something alone.
Yet Anastasia clamied to be fine. She smiled back at him, hiding the frail thoughts of incompetence and weakness to herself. For she couldn't bear to toggle Eiser's ambitions for her selfish goals.
Eiser took a gulp, as she smiled, hiding her pain, Eiser smiled back. Yet that dystopian dear, that drained Ana's soul had reached Eiser's emotional entanglement.
He left, Without forcing anything out of her.
"Ohh... You are gonna try to talk to Steve and the rest, Huh? Well me and Sandy are just going out to the outskirts, to the orphange! We... We'll see you soon!"
He said, uncomfortable and uncoordinated. He got out of that drenching Cabin, so drowned into his own pool of thoughts, he didn't even wait for Ana's reply.
"Shall we go now??"
Sandy hurried him.
"Huh?" ... Eiser quickly looked down at him, pretending to be sane. "Yes... Let's let's just go!"
He said as Eiser and Sandy finally left the Manor.
Back in the Cabin, Ana stood still. Her messy hair covered and hid the depth of emotion in her eyes. Yet her jaw quivered, as she tightly grabbed her left arm, scorching it, with her rigbt hand. Tears silently fell, nourishing the part of her rough hair that touched those eyes.
She stood still, alone, with a beam of sunlight falling through the cracked window on her left. In no time, Tears covered her face, wet the wooded floor at which they dripped. Glimpses of her heavy past ran through her mind. Along with the approbation for her caretaker, Ridglehoff, through the one that filled her might with doubt.
"He must've fooled you good huh?"
These words resounded in her head. As she frowned. She sat down on the ground and placed the Telecommunication device next to her. Her bangs cleared and made visible the contempt her eyes had sheltered for Stincer, and for her own weknesses.
With clenching fists, she bit her lips. The torment she had been feeling was so liud that her dripping blood through her lip couldn't even get her attention. Ana's naturally almond eyes had taken a cuve, for they seemed to be predatory now. For she had worn herself, radiating all that amount of warmth had filled her with empty, dull dystopian darkness.
***********
Tips:
Anastasia is from Arctica Country in the Heart Continent.