The table was busy with hands rushing around to grab something to eat. Lucia had brought Carla over but was busying herself to her home made rice cakes and was eating them at an alarming rate. Lawrence had taken some time off from his job to join the dinner. Blanca had appeared out of nowhere with Kawashima and Yoshiko. Gepetto had arrived earlier and had helped in preperations of the food, resulting in some of it smelling very strongly of alcohol. Through the entire night, the whole table was drowned in conversations and blabberings. Karin stared across the table and saw Yuri wrestling a chicken from blanca. Though she had told herself many times before, 'He won't leave me, i know he won't.', tears still fell as her heart knew that maybe in a few days, he would not be able to recognize her, or anyone. The pain, joys and hardship they had gone through, all would be erased like it was dust. Wiping her tears away, she just could not help but wonder how much had he felt about her. She quietly got up from the noisy table and made her way to her room that roger had generously given up. She hoped to get away from him... no, it wasn't him she was trying to get away from, it was the pain. The pain of knowing what would happen. It pained to know what would happen and not being able to do anything about it. The door burst open, causing everyone to stop whatever they were doing. Thunder struck, giving little light to a huge figure who stood with something, or someone on his shoulder. Yuri stopped trying to wrestle the chicken and so did blanca, both staring at the huge person at the door way. "What's the matter? Never seen such beautiful mucles in such a long time?" an all too familiar voice.
"JOACHIM?" the room asked in unison.
"Yes! It is I, the great Joachim!" he roared loudly as he stood into the light. That was when everyone saw who he was carrying. On his shoulder was anastasia trying futily to get loose and Kurando following behind. Yuri was first to shoot up and greet Joachim with a hug which was a surprise, as no one had ever dared to hug him due to the consequence of it. Joachim, surprised, dropped Anastasia and returned to hug. Moments later, and a few back cracking, yuri sat back down, rubbing his back, next to kurando.
Karin silently closed the door behind her. She never thought it would hurt so much, seeing him and knowing that today may very well be his last. The tears... would never stop flowing. Sobbing quietly in the room by herself as she slumped onto the floor against the door. Only the sounds of the strong wind beating against the windows and the sounds of joachim smashing the table drowned her soft sobs. She hugged her knees tightly, wishing that the pain would stop, that it would at least leasen down for even a minute. Nothing can save her from the sadness, the tears. Or so she thought. Anne's cross jingled slightly, reflecting the moon's light into the corner of the room. There, unseen or unheard by Karin, a spiritual force was watching her pain.
"So, Kurando, where did you and anastasia go off to?" Yuri asked as he stuff his mouth with bread.
"Well, we traveled down to venice, its very nice there. After that, we went to see Barcelona in spain. That's where we bumped into Joachim." Kurando sighed, thinking of the time when anastasia was going to kiss him when Joachim arrived. Joachim was a real life saver then.
"Hmm.. Must be nice then, so, how far have you two gone?" yuri asked casually, dusting the crumbs off his hands. Kurando choked on his drink and coughed terribly. Luckily, no one paid any attention.
"Erm... well, we... haven't... I mean, er... What are you talking about?" Kurando asked nervously, hoping that Yuri had forgotten what he had meant.
"You know, the... ahem..."
"WHAT? Er... well ... We haven't done anything yet"
"Yet? So you are planning to do something!" Yuri's eyes sparkled with mischief and glee. Kurando looked around nervously.
"No! Its not that! But anyway, what about you and karin?" Kurando asked, finally managed to get the tables turned. Yuri's face turned red, slightly.
"Me? Er... well, i've been talking to roger throughout the entire time so i would think that Karin was bored out of her mind here." yuri readjusted himself before reaching out for another piece of bread.
"Come on, Yuri, everyone here knows that Karin likes you, why can't you accept it? She is an attractive woman"
yuri paused for a moment, before smiling.
"I know that already. She told me herself"
Kurnado's surprised did not last long.
"She certainly is a strong woman, being so brave. So, what will you do?"
Yuri tore a piece of bread and threw it at blanca, who caught it and started to chew on it.
"Hmm... i've not yet decided. I mean, i do like her, but"
Kurando sighed and nodded, looking down at his own cup.
"Its the curse isn't it? You don't her to worry""Its alright, as long she knows. Hmm... Speaking of which, where is she"
That caught Yuri's eye as he quickly scanned the room.
"I think she went up. I'll go check"
"Alright, make sure you come back down"
"Yeah, sure." yuri rushed up the stairs, having a bad feeling about it.
