I awoke in a pool of dried blood, face down, rear in the air. I ached all over. Tetra had laid waste to me. I rolled over landing on my sore bottom, and putting pressure on my broken arm. I sat up quickly, not wanting to damage my arm more. I examined my immediate area around myself. Layered in blood, the couch was soaked in it, the floor was covering in the sticky semi-dried mess. I got up using my intact arm as leverage, my legs ached, in particular my thighs but that wasn't the worst of it. My head was roaring. I assumed Tetra hit me.

I stumbled my way to the bathroom. I look at myself in the mirror. I had a black ring around my left eye, my right arm was in shatters and there was hair was a dark crimson with blood. I decided, rather than immediately cleaning myself, I should do something about my arm before it got infected and fell off, or something ridiculous. I instinctively reached out with it before realizing it was broken, and it hurt to move it. Now I seriously regret being right-handed...

I struggled to get the medicine cabinet open with my left arm. It was almost out of my reach to begin with and open to the right to add to that. I almost fell attempting, and then the gauze and hydrogen peroxide, which I had ever so carefully placed on the highest shelf. How thoughtful of me. I got it, without ease, and this only left me with removing my shirt, cleaning my arm, and dressing the wound. All things that would be much easier if I could do it with my right hand. I felt crippled, but I struggled on, and after what seemed like an hour I had my arm cleaned and dressed. It now hung limply at my side, which was not very reassuring.

I took a shower and cleaned all the blood off of myself. Then I got dressed in some clean clothes. I sat at the kitchen table (as the couch was drenched) and made myself some tea. Then as I attempted to tie my shoes with one arm, I contemplated asking Gary for help. I decided it was at least best to let him know what I was doing, just in case I turned up missing.

I made my way down the stairs and knocked on Gary's door, this time, with my left hand. Gary answered it almost immediately. He was glaring at first but his face turned to shock and concern when he noticed my arm.

"What happened to your arm?"

"Tetra jumped me."

"Um, ok... Can I help you? Is it ok...?"

"It's fine. I'm going to find N.?"

"Like that? You look like you've been hit by a..." I glared at him. "Well... I guess I'll come with you."

"No, just go and clean up the mess in my apartment."

Gary glowered. "Are you serious? You expect me to just let you go walking around as a one arm cripple? You barely operate with two arms and you expect to go on some epic quest with one?"

"Please, just go clean up my apartment."

Gary rolled his eyes. "Whatever, just call me if you need help."

I nodded and left the apartment building. I stood on the street now, with one beat up arm, and a non-dominant second, and I wanted to find N. How was I going to pull this off? I began walking off in a random direction. I had nothing else to go on. N. could be anywhere. I knew nothing of his habits. Where he worked, nada, nothing.

I stopped as some crazed looking man blew past me. The man stopped a few feet away before turning and addressing me. I was tempted to ignore him until I noticed that it was Loki.

"Um, hey. Blake,"

"Black"

"Yeah, Black..." He stopped, gazing around suspiciously. "Have you seen Tetra?" He finally whispered. "She told me what she did to you, then she ran off."

"Not since I passed out." I responded a bit harshly.

Loki outwardly cringed. "Well, thanks anyway." Loki began walking away.

"Have you seen N.?" I almost whispered.

Loki stopped. "I thought I saw him in the park. Talking to some squirrel thing." Some squirrel thing? Loki shrugged, and walked away.

I watched him go, and then headed off in the direction of the park. As I was walking I stopped in front of the bakery. I actually didn't know what day it was. I had passed out for what seems like hours. I stopped a woman as she walked by.

"What day is it?"

"Not your day apparently, weirdo," She said looking at my arm before walking away.

I frowned. I guess it had to be my birthday. It was one day until when Tetra when attacked me. How long could I have been unconscious. What a crappy birthday to have your arm broken and your... friend... run off in a fit of tears.

I continued on, walking towards the park. I stopped at the gate. I didn't see N. immediately, and it had taken me a while to get here, so he could have moved on. I wonder if N. had anywhere to live? If he's been living at my place I suppose not, so that makes him homeless. Where do homeless people spend their time? Looking for food...? Alleys would be my best guess.

I walked on through the gate of the park towards where an ice cream cart. The man attending the cart greeted me and I greeted back. Then I walked on to the closest alley. I paused at the entrance to the alley, it was getting darker. When I left, I thought it was midday, but telling from the position of the sun, I must have left late afternoon. I didn't really feel safe walking into a dark alley, but I still wanted to find N.

I entered the alley and was quickly approached by a shifty looking man. "Name is James, Bomb Von for short. What can I do for ya?"

"Have you seen a green haired male about yay high?" I asked, lifting my left arm to give a rough description.

"Ah ha! Looking for a person of interest I see, well Bomb Von is at chour' service, wether' you'd be looking for da' sweet dames or da' big bruties', Bomb Von is at cha' service. That'll be $25.50."

"$25.50?"

"Did I stutta'? Or do ya got no cash, aye?" I nodded. "Well, wich' one is et?"

"You stuttered." The man looked at me questionably. "Of course you didn't stutter. I just don't have any money."

"Thought so."

"Well, come back when ya got some of dat there cash, aye?" I simply nodded as the man retreated into the darkness. I brushed off that encounter and the feeling that I was being watched.

As I was walking I was hit squarely in the neck and passed out.

I awoke some hours later, lying on what seemed to be an old mattress next to some homeless guy. I sat up and felt myself. I had been searched, but luckily I had literally nothing of value. Except my underwear I guess, those were taken.

"You better be lucky I saved you from those criminals. They have a habit of killing people." I looked at him in confusion. "You better rest up here. I'll keep first watch."

With that I drifted of to sleep on an old mattress in an abandoned alley with a man I don't know.