Buon Compleanno! laf. Ok I'm just showing off now but it shows I'm beauty and brains. sum1lafs ¬¬
Italics - thoughts
… … … - change of scene
Chosen
Hiro paced up and down the hallway looking up the stairs ever minute or so. He checked his watch for the umpteenth time and groaned. What in the hell are they playin at? Hiro gave a sharp whistle and leaned on the banister looking up, waiting for a response, but all he got was Hiromi turning her music up louder and Takao and Daichi causing even more of a racket by yelling over the music at each other.
"OI!" Hiro yelled up fiercely making his face tinge red as he held his breath subconsciously, waiting for an answer. The bass from Hiromi's music continued to pound and Takao and Daichi's vocal cords continued to rip to their breaking point. "That's it!" He stormed up the steps and flung open Hiromi's door. She stood looking in the mirror fixing her hair and quietly singing along with the music. "Tachibana get your butt downstairs now!" He ordered pulling the plug out of the socket. Hiromi gave him the usual sour look that hormonal teenage girls send out when they're being told to do something they don't want to. She looked back at the mirror and tutted.
"Wait." She said fixing individual strands of her hair. Hiro watched her getting madder with each wisp of hair she carefully placed into position.
"NOW!" He screamed getting really wound up as she ignored him again. He grabbed her by the arm and she squealed as he launched her over his shoulder whacking her head off of a chest of drawers.
"My hair!" She complained holding her head feeling devastated that all her hard work had been rewarded with a bump on the head.
"Be quiet, it's not like you could make it any better with only your fingers!" Hiro snapped hurting Hiromi's feelings as he stomped over to Takao and Daichi's room and booted the door open making their bellowing die instantly. Takao and Daichi buried their laughter deep in their throats as they saw an unhappy Hiromi over Hiro's shoulder. "Downstairs, now." Hiro growled in a low voice reminding Takao of Vin Diesel in The Pacifier. Daichi nodded his head and Takao watched him leave, "What you waiting for a personal invite?" Hiro pushed Takao out and looked at his watch again. "Damn it! Get the suitcases we're going to miss the flight." Hiro put Hiromi back down on her feet and smiled, "Ignore me again, and I will kill you." He clicked his tongue and messed her hair up before leaving. Hiromi watched him disappear down the stairs before grumbling and sneaking over to the mirror to try fix her hair. "HIROMI!" Hiro's voice boomed from the bottom of the stairs scaring the crap out of her and making her scuttle downstairs leaving Takao and Daichi struggling with her seven heavy suitcases.
… … …
The night stretched out its wings and took full flight as the village church bells tolled the hour of midnight through the empty piazza. Kai leaned on the iron railings looking at his surroundings feeling glad that the long day of travelling with the monstrous snores of Takao and Daichi at either side of him was over. The lights from the festas in the nearby towns of Sora and Atina burnt like newly born silver and gold flames and filled Kai with a craving he never wanted but always had. The tinkling of the water on the small fountain synchronised with Kai's heartbeat making his thoughts slowly pass him by. The craving grew stronger as he failed to grasp any real comprehension of the notions that soared through his soul. Kai sighed and rubbed his neck feeling a sudden annoying strain in his bones. Guess I better get used to this. It was always the same. Whenever he had finally become numb to an emotion it was taken away from him and replaced by something more advanced and complex, something that brought ten times more pain than its predecessor. He looked around at the small old buildings that had disintegration stairways which lead to the little maze of lanes where the Italian families could be heard on their nightly walks after their grand meals. He sighed feeling pointless and walked over the cobbled street to the small stone benches and sat down leaning forward on his thighs, arching his back and tucking his chin into his chest. Kai inhaled the fresh air wanting to clear his system of the never ending haze of emotions he held in his spirit. Kai stopped and listened intently after picking up a scent he knew all too well. Isn't it past his bedtime?
"What is it Takao?" He said not bothering to look up.
"You never had any food." Takao gulped down the remainders of his food and sat next to Kai, "I brought you some. Hiro's orders." Takao placed a bag in between himself and Kai. "Eat up." He spoke impatiently at the thought of the textures and tastes that his portion of food had offered him.
"You have it." Kai got up and began to walk to the grotto in the north west of the small village of Picinisco. Takao looked at the bag extremely tempted but grabbed it and followed Kai. He had to eat or he'd be shattered the next day when Hiro made them all train. The faulty railings to the left hand side and the crumbling bricks that made the grotto gave a bitter coldness to its surroundings as streams of cool mountain air flooded in through any crook or cranny they could. Kai growled as he heard Takao's running footsteps echo in the small grey cavern. Kai stood strong as Takao tried to pull him around to talk to him. Takao sighed and walked in front of Kai shoving the bag into his stomach.
"You need to eat."
"Thanks I'll bare that in mind." Kai took the bag and flung it over the railing before heading up the gently sloping walkway. Takao watched the bag fall out of sight with his mouth open.
"Oh yeah that's gratitude isn't it!" Takao clumped after him before banging into Kai's hard back. He rubbed his nose as he smelt the vinegary smell of sweat and looked to where Kai's crimson eyes held an engrossed gaze. A strong grey statue of an angel stood in an embedded arch in the wall surrounded by small candles that flickered in the assaulting breeze. Its eyes looked down and were painted a fierce sapphire blue while its hair was a contrasting midnight blue. The chipped wings were closed acting like a shield around its strapping body and by its missing feet lay a curled up wolf with broken ears. "Woah." Takao murmured and stepped forward. The eyes were captivating but not in a beautiful way, it was more of a distinctive stabbing fear and cruelty that entered your body leaving it disfigured but perfectly normal to the untrained eye. They could both feel the angel's eyes pluck through the pigments of their skin and into every part of their being submerging them in a serene pain they didn't even feel. "What do you think it is?"
"A statue." Kai's gaze didn't falter as he continued to look at it.
"I just found your true calling Kai, a clown." Kai didn't retaliate to Takao's name calling as they stood looking at the angel and wolf a little longer. As time went by a candle vanished and the angel's strength seemed to wane into a tolerant desperation. Kai inspected it fully whereas Takao's main interest lay in its eyes that seemed to glitter with anger and distrust and a whisper of prevailing forgiveness.
Why… Kai went forward and traced his finger over a crack. Takao gasped as he heard breathing that came from neither him nor Kai. He reached out to get Kai's attention.
"Hey!" Takao jumped and Kai looked down at the entrance to the grotto. Hiro stood with his arms crossed, "If the local people see you touching that they won't be too happy. It's an ancient and imperative relic to them. Get down here before someone sees." Hiro turned beginning to walk away when he added. "Sleep well, I'll be putting you through your paces tomorrow at the gym."
"I thought you said we were seeing dad at the excavation site?" Takao ran after Hiro. "You promised!" Takao jumped onto Hiro's back trying to annoy him so much that he'd change his mind. Kai looked up at the angel's eyes as a tiny flame lit the dim surroundings for the last time and evaporated into thin ashen smoke as the other had done. The shadowing changed dramatically, hiding everything but the angel's wings from sight.
"…Hm…" Kai looked up ahead at the dingy back alley way where a small building was illuminated with light. Taking a last look at the stone sculpture Kai ventured into the darkness and became part of the light.
… … …
The sun rose high for six in the morning while the clouds slept in, enjoying their rest a little longer. Takao was happy he had changed Hiro's mind. Kai on the other hand wished he wasn't sitting in front of him. Kai sighed as Takao continued to beat out the rhythm to the song on the radio on the back of his chair and sang along completely out of tune. Max laughed and began to beat box for Takao. Ray rubbed his nose to hide his smile as Takao ended up in his habitual morning argument. Today's opponent; Max. Ray listened to Takao spin out a poorly fabricated reason he had missed a beat and Max laughed winding Takao up even more. Hiro looked over at Kai and smirked as he saw the lone wolf's shoulders tighten and his jaw move as he bit down on his tongue (presumably to stop himself from jumping out of the car or smacking Takao about). At the back of the car Hiromi looked outside watching the thin woodland that sprang from the rich Southern soils roll by. She scratched her head digging her acrylic nails into her scalp trying to stay in control of her temper as she heard Kenny clicking away on his laptop and Daichi snoring loudly. She glared forward at Daichi, whose head had slumped down onto Kari's shoulder because of bump in the uneven road, tracing her fingers over her sharp nails. Kari looked down at him and sharply shoved him off making him volley forward into Hiro who hit the brakes.
"Daichi!"
"It was Kari!" Daichi stood up forgetting he was in a car and smacked his head off the glass sunroof. Kai smirked and looked in the wing mirror catching Kari attempt to miss his gaze.
"You must have done something to annoy her." Ray defended Kari.
"I don't need defended."
"You and your boyfriend have the exact same problem." Takao stuck his head through the gaps in the seat and looked at Kari. "Your both ungrateful."
"Don't call her ungrateful!" Kai swung round silencing Takao as he gave the master of the "I'm-gonna-kill-you" glares. Ray laughed and pulled a dumb struck Takao back to his seat. Hiromi watched Kenny become even more absorbed in his work and the clicking becoming even heavier and quicker.
"SHUT UP!" She cracked. "Can't you mute that God damn thing or something?"
"Shows how dumb you are if you think you can mute typing." Daichi whispered under his breath. Hiromi whacked him causing an uproar between her Max, Takao, Kenny and Daichi. Hiro watched them from the rear view mirror. I should be taking them to a zoo not an excavation site. Kai sat back around and Hiro watched Kari and Ray take no part in the argument. Guess I need to deal with the baboons.
"Quiet!" Hiro yelled but everyone ignored him and kept hollering at each other drowning him out. Kai smirked, pissing Hiro off. Hiro looked at the steering wheel and smirked deviously, he'd teach them not to ignore him. Buckle up. He pressed down on the accelerator making the tyres create a burning smell as the friction came to life against the gravel. The car lurched forward as he put the clutch down and everything outside the car became a blur as the car hurtled down the mountain side. Takao fell forward as Hiro reached 90 miles per hour and sharply turned the small narrow corners of the mountain.
"Hiro you're gonna kill us!" Hiromi shrieked holding onto Ray who was trying to wrench her as her fake nails dug into his muscles. Kai looked at Hiro who was laughing his head off. Craziness must run in the Kinomiya family. He thought as his seat belt tightened across his chest as if it was readying itself for a head on collision.
"Hiro STOP!" Takao yelled in terror. Kari leaned back in her chair, at first she wondered what the hell Hiro was doing, but the pleasing tone of terror in Takao's voice made it all come together. It's not so bad she smiled as they entered the excavation site. Takao's dad stepped out of the tent as a whirl of silver metal passed him by and spun around stopping expertly in between a Mercedes and Bentley. Kai looked at the jet black skid marks on the dusty road and the quality of Hiro's parking Not bad. Hiro beeped the horn and laughed as his dad's eyes widened at the sight of his eldest most responsible son in the driver's seat of the car that had just crusaded down the mountain. Hiro turned the radio off and hummed happily as he undone his seat belt and got out of the car slamming the door shut behind him. An amused expression fixed itself upon Hiro's dad's face as he watched everyone in the back rush to the doors and scuffle with each other to get out. Kai stepped out of the car and shut the door as some dirt wafted around his feet trying to settle itself after being unexpectedly uprooted. As Kai breathed in through his nose his sense of smell became overwhelmed with the air that had the traditional fresh Italian fragrance. He looked through the car window to see Kari sitting in her seat as elbows and knees (mostly Max's, Daichi's and Takao's) flew to and fro. He opened the door and Takao and Daichi made a dash for freedom but he pushed them back in and made way for Kari. She jumped out and Ray followed. Takao sniggered as Kai slammed the door in Daichi's face making him look like a clown with a red nose.
"Dad." Hiro walked over to him putting on his shades, "How's it going?" He hugged his dad who gave him a manly pat on the back.
"Not so good, we uncovered three of the four ancient scripts but they were fakes."
"Decoys?"
"Seems that way. There may only be one true scripture but that too could be a fake." His dad told him leading him to a table where three parchment papers lay.
"I guess the Romans are crafty." Hiro looked down at them. "How can you tell they're fake?" Hiro tapped the dust off of the nearest one.
"There's no crest." His dad pointed out. "And Ancient Roman's didn't use ball point pens." Hiro laughed cursing the morons who played the prank and wasted his dad's time. His dad sighed as Kai, Kari and Ray stopped a meter or two behind them and listened, "This site's no good anymore."
"You give up too quickly old man!" Hiro narrowed his eyebrows and turned to see who spoke. A fourty-ish man walked up to them both and Hiro smiled relaxing himself.
"Luka."
"It's been a while Hiro, last time I saw you you were this big." He gestured to above his knee. "But you've grown into one fine young man. My influence of course." He added jokingly making Hiro and his dad laugh. Takao's cheek bone stung as Daichi's elbow flew into him. He looked up and grinned at the sight of Luka.
"Move!" He belted out of the car making Max, Kenny and Daichi fall out onto their faces. Hiromi lowered herself out using them as a step and skipped off to see the landscape.
"Luka!" Takao ran over and Luka beamed.
"This can't be the wee man?" He took off Takao's cap and messed up his hair. "Jesus it is!" He gave Takao a hug and put his cap back on. Takao held his stomach as it rumbled. Kai raised his eyebrow. He ate twenty minutes ago. He shook his head. Even in a different continent Takao's eating habits were almost unreal. Takao beckoned him over. Hell no Kai felt himself jilt forward as Takao gave him a mighty shove towards Luka.
"Luka this is Kai. He's almost as good as me at blading." Luka smiled at Takao's introduction and extended his hand to Kai. Takao looked at Kai knowing he wouldn't shake his hand.
"Nice to meet you." Luka kept his hand held out. The air became thick with tension as Hiro gave Kai a fierce look. Kai ignored it and shook Luka's hand making Takao lose with disbelief and Hiro drop his gaze. Kai watched Luka's smile widen and his eyes shine as he let go of his hand.
"You want to look around?" Takao's dad put his arm around Takao's neck and lead him off with Hiro and Luka following them. Kai stepped forward and looked at the fake scripts.
"Kai-" Ray started as Kari walked away. Ray stood for a while before he got the message and followed Kari back over to the car.
… … …
Ray pounded into the punching bag as Takao sat on the treadmill next to Kenny who was talking in long vivid sentences about the research he had been conducting for Takao. Max stopped on the rowing machine and glugged down some water as he listened in. The doors swung open and Takao threw water over himself trying to pass it off as sweat. He gave a sigh of relief as he saw Daichi, not Hiro, parade in late with a mountain of burgers in his hand. Ray gave a quiet smile while Max and Kenny laughed as Takao's hair stood on end as he shook himself dry. Kai ignored them as he continued to lift the weights above his head. The sun forced its way through the glass windows and percolated into his eyes, he turned his back on it and the rest of the team to continue his training. Typical Takao thought as he saw Kai exclude himself from everyone else.
"The angel has the name Nascita, meaning birth, is said to be a guardian of the village. The wolf is Neonato, meaning new born, but I couldn't find anything else on the wolf."
"Well what did you find?" Takao asked picking at some plastic that was peeling off of the frame of the treadmill.
"Not much. The legend dates back to Ancient Rome when Bitbeasts energy was channelled into the expansion of the Roman Empire. The fall of The Empire occurred when Nascita supposedly set them free." Kenny made the word "supposedly" emphatic and Takao rolled his eyes knowing that Kenny was going to mock it. "The information I gathered about the statues were all very interesting, but there are hardly any facts that can be one hundred percent reliable."
"It sounds like a faith thing, so there can't really be any solid facts chief." Max walked over to them both and sat in front of them.
"It sounds cool. An angel and a wolf. But what are they in a little place like this for?" Takao lay back putting his arms under his head staring up at the white ceiling.
"The village I suppose…but Takao it's completely imbalanced. There are no dates only one scripture written by a totally random person of no scholarly or even Italian background. I think it's fake."
"You would Kenny. What happened to your belief?"
"I have belief." Kenny corrected Max, "I believe it isn't real."
"Luka thinks it's real." Takao sat up, "He's brainy and he's been working on it for two decades. So I believe it."
"Guys," Ray took off his gloves getting tired of their laziness and interest in a subject that shouldn't be their main priority. "Get training. The next tournament's important for the team and all yous are doing is fucking about." He began to unravel the bandages around his knuckles and lower hand. "I won't fail because of yous, now get to work."
"Chill Ray, we're just having a break." Takao stretched feeling the sun shine on his hands.
"Your break began the minute you entered the room." Ray crossed his arms after dropping the bandages at his feet.
"And it will end as I leave." Takao beamed.
"Takao." Hiro's voice echoed throughout the room along with his footsteps as he walked towards his brother. "Give me fifty."
"Fifty? What do you need that amount of money for?"
"Fifty push ups! Sixty now cause of your smart ass attitude." Takao groaned and began to do his sixty push ups. "Kenny outside. Everyone else back to training." Hiro looked around as Max went back to his machine and Ray started doing sit ups. Hiro glared at Daichi who lay sprawled out on the floor complaining of indigestion. Hiro paid special attention to Kai who hadn't stopped since he'd entered the room. At least someone tries. He thought as he followed Kenny outside.
… … …
Hiromi tapped on Takao's hotel door and walked in without waiting for an answer. Takao stood in the deteriorating sunlight that sprayed through the open shutter creating golden lines across his skin and shadow. Takao looked up at Hiromi and gave a nod to say hi. He was holding his mobile at arms length as a strong buzz vibrated the phone. Hiromi smirked when she recognised the murmur was Takao's grandpa. She sat down on his bed and played with her top making it sit nicer on her before looking up at Takao, waiting for the call to be over so he could compliment her on an outfit she had spent hours perfecting. Takao bravely put the phone next to his ear.
"I can ex-" he dropped his phone as his grandpa's voice came clear through the receiver. Hiromi listened in shock. Since when could Takao's grandpa yell like that? Takao scooped it back up and tried to explain himself again. "Daichi dared me to and I couldn't back down-"
"You stupid boy! If that sword get's damaged in anyway I'll have your neck!" His grandpa slammed the phone down and Takao stood perfectly still for the next five minutes before taking his phone away from his ear and slipped it into his pocket.
"What have you done?" Hiromi stood up putting her hands on her hips. Takao looked at her for a second. She looks different… He quickly became bored with playing detective on what was different about Hiromi and left it. He remembered her question and laughed nervously as he went into the cupboard and pulled out his family's sword. Hiromi wasn't impressed. "You have the intelligence of a caveman Takao Kinomiya."
"You're a Kai in stilettos and a mini skirt you know that?" Takao looked at her aggravated that she couldn't see it from his perspective. "It's not my fault!" He picked up the sword by the hilt and swung it accidentally making Hiromi squeal as it nearly sliced through her. "Ooops!" He pulled it back to his side and put back into the cupboard for safe keeping.
"Ooops? Ooops is when you spill a drink on someone! Not when you try hack them into little pieces like Jack The Ripper! You're a complete retard! What in the hell possessed you to bring a sword to a rural Italian village where nothing even remotely dangerous occurs?"
"The question is why is everyone forgetting how annoying Daichi can be? Stop laying into me when you don't even know how much he was buggering me off!"
"Sorry for my lack of sympathy but not everyone steals their family sword, which by the way they're not even meant to breathe on, and then tries to slash me!"
"What d'you mean steal? It's my family's sword!" He walked past Hiromi and pulled his black shirt off the back of the wooden chair making it wobble on the uneven oak floorboards. "How did gramps find out?" He had a pensive look on his face as he put on his shirt. "Daichi!" He concluded.
"Or maybe he noticed it was missing?" Takao mumbled at Hiromi's more rational explanation making her laugh as she watched him button up his shirt with nimble fingers. She cleared her throat and he looked up at her as he took off his cap. "There's some cough sweets over in the drawer behind you H." He pointed behind her before heading out of the room. Hiromi gave a low growl and followed him out slamming the door and breaking the lock as she went.
… … …
Luka sat at the head of the table with lustrous embers in his eyes as he and Takao's dad talked in a slurring Southern Italian dialect. Takao amused himself by making faces across the table at Hiro who retaliated using his straw as a shooter to fire saliva infested paper pellets at him when their dad wasn't looking. Hiromi sighed, she had been expecting a noble dinner with one of the world's leading Italian archaeologists but instead she was stuck in between two monkeys and found herself to be the victim of Hiro's occasionally iffy aim. Ray looked up at the ceiling taking note of the differing tones of blues, purples, greens and reds the crystal chandelier cast off as the quietly shining light's cascaded off the smooth face of the crystals. Luka soon brought Hiro into the conversation talking in perfect Japanese. Takao felt his stomach burn with determination. Luka was so smart. His knowledge of languages and history out done anyone he had ever known. He was gonna be like that too. No matter what it took. Kai sat silently beside Kari in his own world when Takao scraped his seat across the floor slightly muting the soft chatter which eventually built back up again. Kai snapped into reality as Takao put his trim hands onto his shoulders.
"Kai, can you give me some Italian lessons?"
"No." Kai took a sip of water and swivelled it in his mouth to get rid of an acid taste that had been creeping through his system ever since he sat down at the table.
"Aw! Kai, come on! Please? Pretty pretty please?" Takao wrapped his arms around Kai's neck to bully him into a corner where he'd eventually have to give him what he wanted. Kari gave a silent laugh and Kai reddened as he shoved Takao off and hissed.
"Don't you ever do that to me again!"
"One quick lesson?" Takao smiled.
"Yeah, ok." Kai took the back of his hand across his lips hiding a scheming smirk. "Go up to Luka and say va fangulo."
"Va fangulo?" Takao repeated it flawlessly and Kai nodded licking his lips and taking another drink of water, "What does that mean?"
"It's nice to see you." Kai smiled at Kari making her laugh. Takao took it as a weird romantic moment and bounded up to the head of the table where Luka sat. This is gonna be sweet. Kai sat back with his arms crossed and stretched out his legs making Daichi complain that he had no leg space. Takao tapped Luka's shoulder,
"Luka va fangulo." Hiromi and Takao's dad looked up at Takao with horrified faces. Luka stayed silent for a few minutes before bursting out with a hearty laugh.
"Takao sit down." His dad said smiling with a red face, he'd guessed what had happened by the smile on Kai's face. Takao sat next to Hiromi and they murmured angrily to each other before Takao's head snapped up and his soft eyes hardened as he glared down at Kai and put his finger up at him. Kari could tell Kai was bathing in the glory of Takao's blunder as he sat back in his chair with a huge grin on his face looking the most relaxed he'd ever been. It was short lived as the courses started to come out and Kai automatically became enclosed and numb again as he endured the rest of the meal. He listened to the sounds intently trying to entertain himself in some way. The cutlery clattered and the crystal glasses gave a twinkle like chink as they hit against one another. Daichi, Max and Kenny had engrossed themselves in the rumours that had proliferated about the next tournament while Hiro, Ray and Hiromi suffered the ordeal of listening to Takao's livid anger concerning Kai's latest stunt, which Hiro and Ray had thought to be first class. Kai could feel Kari's skin next to his. She was just as focused on their surroundings as he was, maybe even more. Luka and Mr Kinomiya had went back to talking rapidly making their voices sound more like gushing waterfalls than elegant Italian. It was when the stars began to rest in the haven we call night that Kai looked up from the table. Kai was so lost in his own thought he never noticed that Ray had tired of Takao and sat beside Kari at the end of the table for some decent banter. Kai gave a tiny smile as he noticed Kari's eyes sparkling along with her jewellery in the gentle light that hung in the room. He looked over at Ray, who was making hand gestures in the air and looking a bit crazed about whatever he was talking about; Kari'll be ok with him. Kai stood up from his place and slipped off out of the back door to set his instincts free into the cloudy gloom of legend.
… … …
The wolf is a fiercely dark predator. That's why Kai found it so easy to integrate with the cold shadows that prowled the small run down alleyways of the village. The sewage system ran dry and scentless as Kai drifted past the flaking doors and gates of the poorer inhabitants of the village. Everyone slept, not with dreams, but hallucinations of the damming present and an unsteady future. Kai stopped as he left a narrow side lane filled with broken gutters and budding weeds. The piazza contained the last of the elderly men who were out on their nightly walk with their thin rolled up cigarette joints between their thin lips as they muttered serenely to one another. Kai walked across their path receiving a friendly tilt of the head from them and a pleasant "Buona notte".
"Buona notte." Kai reciprocated before fading into the grotto's territory. Kai stopped a foot or so away from the statue as the chill encircled him like it had done the previous night. Kai closed his eyes as the breeze brought an innocent and fragile scent to his attention. He moved aside as he watched a little girl skip forward to the statue and place a bunch of the palest blue flowers beside the lifeless candles. She looked over at Kai and grinned as she took out a match and struck it against the jagged wall bringing a vigorous flame to life. Kai watched the surroundings as the little girl relit the tea candles at the foot of the statue. The waves of heat slowly grew lighting the grotto. Kai looked around in a slight awe. The darkness the night before had made him blind to the grand and intricate architecture around the cavern and the Latin on the stones which propped up the footless angel. Kai studied them from where he stood. The little girl watched him intently until he noticed her. Her face glowed as her small finger pressed upon her lips.
"È un segreto." She whispered in a cherub like fashion displaying her milk white teeth and adorable smile to Kai who couldn't help but smile and nod to her words. She gave a giggle and skipped off down the walkway and into the moonlight that lit the piazza. The candles dimmed and in due time left this earth once more, abandoning Kai in the winter cold and enabling his heart to beat with an anxiety he had long missed.