I miss him. It has been a week since he left, and he is due home today. I cannot wait for him to return- life is meaningless for me here without him. I drift around, unseen and unseeing. And yet I keep remembering that moment, his warm, slender arms around me, his face uplifted as he told me that first time that he didn't want me to die. He left that day on an errand for Shydeman and though I know he is better off away from here, and I half hope he stays away, I think that I will kill myself if I am without him much longer.

"Hey, Yotogi!" Shydeman has adopted Viaresu's nickname for me. I wish he wouldn't use that- that is Viaresu's name for me, and Viaresu's alone.

"Yotogi, you still mooning around? I hope you aren't planning to go out after the kid, you know what'll happen!" Ha. Very funny. Shydeman loves being funny. Has he noticed that nobody laughs with him except Shyrendora? Any minute now I'll hear her screechy laughter from behind me. Yep, there it goes.

"Leave me alone."

"What's that, Yotogi? You don't want to go find him? You're glad he's gone?"

"I am NOT."

"Then why don't you go find him, Yotogi?"

"Leave me alone!"

"Don't you love him anymore, Yotogi? Found someone else to stare at?"

"Leave me ALONE!" Leave me alone leave me alone leave me ALONE! Next thing I know, that flaming moron Fedelta will be here to echo him. I have to get away before… too late.

"Yeah, Yotogi, you found someone else to stare at?"

"Yotogi, when Fedelta speaks to you, answer him." No. Go on, hit me. … Did that make you feel better? I may be forced to be polite to you but… ow… never to that young cretin.

"Not so proud NOW, are you, Yotogi? Answer me!"

"Answer him!"

"Stare at me now, Yotogi- Viaresu's never coming back to you, so get used to it! Sta---- AUUGHH!"

Whatever he's doing, I wont fall for his trick. I wont look at him. I wont. I---

"Viaresu! Unhand him!" Just a trick it's just a trick--

"Shydeman, help me!"

"You murderous cretin." I know that voice! Is it really-- "You think you're so clever, sucking up to Shydeman so that you rise through the ranks, while we that actually WORK for a living--"

"Viaresu! UNHAND HIM!"

"We that actually work for a living have to creep around in the shadows to avoid seeing your moronic face and hearing your whiny voice, you pitiful little halfwit firefly!" Yes, that would be Viaresu! Viaresu!

"VIARESU! You came home!"

"Of course I did, Yotogi-sama! Of course I did!" Ooh, that musta hurt. Note to self- do NOT allow Viaresu to throw me at a wall.

"Fedelta!" That's right, Shydeman. Pick your baby up and go away… go away…

"This is not the last you will hear of this, you two creepers!" Whatever, just go, just go… thank you! Except… now I'm alone with him… hello, arm. Nice to see you again.

"Yotogi? Yotogi, are you alright? You shouldn't let them mess with you like that! Stand up for yourself!"

I do not stand up for myself because if I did they would kill me and then nobody would remember me. I prefer to just stand there and let them vent their anger on me because sooner or later they'll go away and leave me alone for a few months.

"Yotogi, why wont you talk to me? It's not true what they said, is it? You do… still care for me, don't you?"

Don't look at him don't look-- argh, you fool! I'm caught now.

"Viaresu… No. It wasn't true."

"I'm… I'm glad, Yotogi-sama." Bliss…

"Viaresu, I… have something to give you."

"Not your arm, I hope!"

"No, not my arm. This."

"Your bracelet? But you've always worn it! Why give it to me?"

"Because I want you to have something to remember me by if… when you leave or I die."

"Yotogi…"

"Please, Viaresu."

"I'll treasure it."