Chapter Two: The Three Friends

It had been almost seven months since Giotto and G. had met Shimon Cozato that evening to return his wallet, neither had thought that they would ever see the redheaded-flat-cap-wearing boy again.

They had been wrong.

Shimon stood just inside the store door, out of breath and grinning from ear to ear. He stepped further into the store and let the door swing shut behind him; he seemed to give off an air of happiness that was infectious to any who saw him.

"Shimon?" Giotto interrupted the boy, who seemed lost in his own thoughts, a small smile creeping its way onto his lips.

Shimon appeared startled by the sudden voice and glanced quickly around until his eyes rested on the two friends at the head of the room. Recognition sparked in his eyes almost immediately; after all there were only so many orange haired people with intimidating companions. "Hey!" He exclaimed showing his excitement, "It's Giotto! And G!" He crossed the room to stand in front of the counter still slightly out of breath and a smile still plastered to his face.

"What happened to you?" Giotto asked indicating his breathless state.

"Me?" Shimon immediately took on a sheepish look, "Well nothing happened per say…" He scratched his cheek and cleared his throat, "I was just kind of enjoying the morning you see-"

This prompted a short amused laugh from G. who had returned to checking inventory.

"-and I was already half way to the store anyway so I just thought I'd run the rest of the way." Shimon finished his sentence with a quick glance in G.'s direction.

"Well that explains that I suppose." Giotto smiled, "But what are you doing in Cerignola? I thought you said that you were just visiting your aunt when we met."

Shimon Cozato's happy smile was quickly diminished at the mention of his aunt; instead his smile was replaced by a sad distant look. "My aunt became ill suddenly last month and my Mother and I have come to try and nurse her through it." His revelation instantly changed the atmosphere in the room to a dim sad one. G. looked over from his work at Shimon as if he was going to offer a word of comfort, but he stayed silent.

"I'm very sorry to hear that Shimon." Giotto said his face conveying his concern, "But I'm sure she will overcome her sickness."

"Thank you." Shimon let a small smile come back to his face.

The stairs in the back creaked as the owner descended to investigate the commotion in his shop. When he emerged from the back his face showed his alarm at the sudden entry that the young Cozato had made.

"Is everything alright down here?" He asked tensely, addressing Giotto and eyeing Shimon.

"I'm sorry if I was too loud Sir." Shimon apologized before Giotto or G. could respond, "I didn't mean to alarm anyone."

Martin sighed and shook his head, "No, no, it was my fault. I suppose I'm just on edge from everything that's been happening around here."

Confused, Shimon looked from Martin to Giotto searching for the answer to a question he had yet to say aloud. Giotto frowned and looked at Martin who avoided both of their eyes. When neither gave him the answer he sought he looked at G. But as he had expected, G. did not respond to his questioning gaze. He was about to open his mouth to ask the question when Martin spoke, "Over the last few months the city has gotten extremely dangerous for both business owners and regular citizens alike." He cleared his throat and looked over at the closed door, almost as if he were afraid someone would overhear, "Due to this being one Italy's smaller cities it has become a target for some…unruly people." He nervously rubbed his wrist, "I've already heard that a few shops on the west side of the city were broken into. I was told that these…criminals, threatened to kill the owners of those shops if they didn't hand over forty percent of their daily income every week. As you kids may well know, in times like these that kind of money can mean the difference between life and starvation."

"The threats have gotten to the people." G. spoke up surprising Shimon, "Some of them are staying home, they don't want what's happening to the shop owners to happen to them."

"And they are wise to think that way." Giotto said looking at his friend.

Then, followed by the sound of light creaks as she descended the old staircase, Martin's four year old daughter Katlin entered the front room. Her pink nightdress was wrinkled, and her brown hair was spiking up, she was rubbing the sleep from her bright green eyes, "Daddy?" She murmured groggily, "Is breakfast ready?" Before her Father could turn and answer her she spotted G. standing just behind her. The little girl's green eyes lit up with happiness.

Since Giotto and G. had come to live at Martin's store the small child had taken an uncanny liking to the more silent member of the duo. She took more joy from spending a day watching G. work than she did from playing with her dolls and friends combined.

"G.!" She looked up at the redhead with a smile on her face, "Whatcha doing?"

"Inventory, Katlin." He said, speaking more softly that usual.

The girl yawned, her grin somehow never leaving her face, "Well have you eaten breakfast yet?"

"No, I'm afraid not."

"Oh…." Katlin looked at her Father, "Is it ready, yet Daddy? Breakfast?" Smiling her father lifted her into his arms and walked towards the stairs,

"No, but we'll have it done in a few minutes." Her Father kissed her head. Only when the two had made their way back up the stairs and the small girl was out of earshot did Shimon speak again.

"Is all that true?" He looked at Giotto worry showing clearly in his eyes.

He was answered by a simple nod and a helpless look. After all what could two-no three-teenagers possibly do to stop a gang of criminals?

Next chapter will be later this week! I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and as always please feel free to leave a review to tell me how i've done, i love to hear your opinions!