From the Warehouse District to the Dorms, But Really Across The Island, Wednesday Morning

[rebelscreams]

There was a flicker of something that passed over the warehouses early in the morning; some strange twisting in the air that warped them, changed them, and for a moment showed signs of rot. Walls that had stood proudly now laid collapsed, ivy and moss winding their way through the ruins

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[that_oldsaying]

Alluka had dropped one wagonload of her friends (her toys) at Papa's place and then, when he'd been busy getting ready for all the friends, she'd wandered out again to go and get more. Now she was trundling back with a wagon full of toys and having taken a few deliberate wrong turns. She didn't want to worry Papa, but she was terribly curious about what was going on.

And Nanika was aware and watching but not worried so Alluka fearlessly wandered into the Warehouse District with her wagon full of toys, just poking around, not really expecting much.

[rebelscreams]

In the trees, Dante - a Dante, not the same one waiting at Jono's right now - followed her with interest. Another shadow of a hollow popped up not far from her, lingering for a few seconds.

He raised his rifle, pointed it at the thing-- but then it faded.

He lowered Spiral again. "Might want to watch your back down there," he called.

[that_oldsaying]

Alluka hadn't even noticed the thing, too busy pointing out a tree to Mr. Bubbles. They weren't sure what kind of tree it was.

She craned her neck to look up at... more trees.

"Nothing's hurt me yet," she said cheerfully. "Papa said it was dangerous but I haven't seen anything."

[rebelscreams]

"That's 'cause the bad things are still hiding, sweetheart," Dante said.

... and then to prove he wasn't one of them, he threw his legs over the edge of the branch, letting his feet dangle.

[that_oldsaying]

All that really meant was that she was tugging her wagon over to his tree and peering up at him. Again, fearlessly. She wasn't worried about some strange man--not when he was being so nice!

"It can't be me they're hiding from," she said, looking around. "No one is scared of me. Hi!"

[rebelscreams]

"Not because they're scared, just because they don't want to be seen."

Ah, screw it. If something was going to happen to the girl, long-distance shots wouldn't do much anyway. Dante pushed off the branch, landing in a neat catlike crouch on the ground.

He straightened up and brushed off his coat. "Hi," he added casually.

[that_oldsaying]

“Hi,” she said again. “I’m Alluka. Are you new to the island? Why were you up in a tree? Papa’s all worried too, like you are, but…”

She shrugs.

Alluka didn’t really worry.

“I won’t stay out too long though, or else Papa will get upset.”

Jono was probably already realizing she’d gone missing.

[rebelscreams]

"I'm not new," Dante said. He shrugged casually. "I'm pretty old. But I haven't been around for a while."

Spiral vanished from his grasp, seemingly almost of its own insistence. "Then I found out some old friends of mine are planning to show up."

[that_oldsaying]

She watched the gun fade with avid interest but didn't ask about it.

"Is it one of those weekends, then?" Alluka asked. "Where people who aren't usually here come by?"

[rebelscreams]

"Seems like it," Dante agreed.

He shoved his hands into the pockets of his long red coat. "You should head back to your Papa, Alluka," he said. "Bet he'd like to spend some time with you."

Before everything went back to hell.

[that_oldsaying]

She immediately turned big, sad eyes on him.

"But I wanted to look around some more," Alluka protested. "Papa's busy making room for friends."

[rebelscreams]

"The woods aren't a great place for poking around right now," Dante said, "Just a lot of old trees and squirrel poo."

He shrugged. "I can walk you back if you want."

[that_oldsaying]

Other people would probably be suspicious of this sort of offer and the whole conversation in the first place but not Alluka.

"Well," she said, "I guess so. Are you staying at the hotel?"

[rebelscreams]

Dante wouldn't have approached most people like this, anyway, but he remembered Alluka back when she'd still been... Alluka.

"At the church," he corrected idly. "But you want to go to Jonothon Starsmore's place, right?"

[that_oldsaying]

"That's right," she said, pleased and tugging her wagon around in the right direction. "He said I could sleep over there. I think he wants to keep an eye on me but he let me bring friends too."

A beat.

"There's beds in a church?"

[rebelscreams]

"There's beds in this church."

If you put blankets and a pillow on a pew, that made a bed, right?

"Sounds like Starsmore," he added. "I know where he lives."