That night Mark decided it was in his best interest to book a room in the inn. He just could use a break from the farm. Plus, there's that red-head. The room was the same as the last time he spent the night. He was hoping the girl's would be too. He hasn't seen her nor that Rock. Mark wouldn't mind going another century without seeing him again. He really got under his skin last time.

He was only in his room for an hour before he heard a shout coming up the stairs.

"Dinner!", a voice shouted.

It sounded like Ruby's voice. He sat up from his spot on the bed. He wasn't sure who the shout was for. As he ignored it, choosing to lay his head against the pillow, the calls continued. Soon the call was followed by a knock upon his door.

"Mark…?" It was definitely Ruby's voice. He stared at the door just to make sure it was in fact his door. "Mark-honey, are you in there?"

"Yes-" he dove out of the bed for her. "Hello" he swung the door open, "do you need something?" He asked. His first instinct was to assume he had made some mistake that she would need to correct. She shook in surprise from his sudden appearance but then retained her composure.

"I made dinner" she smiled, her cheeks somehow becoming brighter, "Come on down to the kitchen". She ushered him out of his room with her big doughy arms. She was a full woman of charm. She went on ahead after giving him a wink at the end of the stairway.

In that time, he had already stepped out of his door way. As he heard his door shut, he heard another open. He saw her as he turned to her backing away from her door. There are no locks and no keys to the door so when he lingered in front of his door playing with the knob, it caught her interest-not that she showed it.

Mark knew that she had seen him. He didn't mean to catch her eye, he just wanted to hang back and observe. She was cute in a strange way. He couldn't really analyze her from behind though. Clearly a tomboy with her unflattering plain plaid jacket and knee length straight shorts, she wasn't what he traditionally considered attractive. That Muffy was what he usually considered stunning with her curvy and big features. The femininity in her gestures and flirty nature of her stride would attract any man with a pulse.

He was taken out of his thoughts when the girl turned the corner down a flight of stairs. He was following her out of curiosity but mainly because he assumed that she was going in the same direction. As he trailed behind, the girl suddenly put him in a state of unease. As she turned off the stairway, she glanced at him through the corner of her eye. A short stare so intense, he could have sworn he saw his own reflection in it. Her eye had moved so steadily when it observed him that he felt small despite being an estimated foot taller and wider. He was stunned, he stopped momentarily. However brief it was, he had never felt so seen before. It was more than a glance, it was a message. A threat of some sort. But maybe he was reading too much into it.

The wall felt hard against his shoulder as he leaned against it, waiting to recollect himself. It was nothing. He heard a door slap shut and he used that as a signal to keep going. It wasn't hard to find the kitchen since it was where all the talking was coming from. When he peeked in he saw her just approaching the thick wooden table.

At the table, Ruby used a ladle to fill a bowl in front of another familiar face.

"Come on! More, more" the voice had a clear boyish whine in it. "I'm hungry!" It seemed a formation had already developed in the kitchen with three people lingering around the table. The girl, Ruby and …

"I will give you more when you finish your plate, Rock" Ruby sighed. He sighed too. Just seeing the lively animation of his eyes roll, pricked needles into his skin. He didn't want to be seen by those eyes.

Do you bathe in blood? The question still had power over him. Just Rock's demeanor made him uncomfortable. How could he be so rude to a stranger? A new neighbor? His blatant disregard for hospitality was infuriating especially for being the innkeeper's son.

Despite these thoughts, he stiffened as Rock's eyes rolled onto him.

"Oh? Look it's the farmer's son. So why are you staying here? Run out of places to hex?" His features seemed to spread in delight.

"Rock, stop" Ruby nudged him but he just laughed before leaning down into his bowl yet his eyes remained point-blank on Mark. Something about his gaze was predatory. He had to admit he was intimidated as he approached he assessed the other males' attributes. Short stature, appeared thin under his baggy clothes, possibly older than him. He declared that he was not a physical danger.

"Well, what are you doing here?" he asked over his steaming curry. The steam burrowed and broke under his chin.

"I just came down for dinner" Mark replied, the space between them only a wooden table. His own tough exterior was put on. He made sure to puff up like an animal trying to look bigger. Mark placed his hands on the table, the girl beside him a foot away.

Before Rock could respond, Ruby reached her arm around him to give Mark his plate. "How much do you want Nami?" she asked the girl beside him. Nami. So that's her name. He watched her through his side vision. The name was oddly suiting. He watched as she reached a slender arm out to retrieve the meal she was being handed. She had a mole emerging on her lower side. The fluorescent lights above flickered a yellow over them.

When she brought it back to her body, he used that as a cue to eat his meal. It was as he was enjoying the taste and texture of such cuisine that he glanced out to see Rock stirring his curry with his spoon, eyes dead set upon him. He remained quiet but he clearly had something to say. Mark felt like he was being circled by a live shark.

It was embarrassing that he was made nervous by such a puny guy. But it was always the same, Mark noticed. Somehow, he was always more intimidated by the little guys. Even in his few years of schooling, it was the same. While the big guys could beat him black and blue, there always seemed to be a small guy in the back snapping his fingers.

"So…" Rock drew out the sound as he spoke, "What's your name again?" he asked.

"Uh, Mark" he answered. He was taking in another spoon full. It was a habit of his. It was a good strategy too. Feeling uncomfortable, he quickly finds something that take his ability to speak away. He can't speak with a stuffed mouth after all.

"Wasn't that the other farmers name?" he asked to no one in particular. Mark just kept munching.

"Well, it's common to name a child after their parent. We almost named you Tim" Ruby said.

"Ahh, no thanks" he rolled his head back. Ruby chuckled. "I'll keep Rock" he said.

"It's fitting" a sly voice replied almost in a whisper. Nami. He had almost forgotten she was there. Her comment seemed to have caught his attention.

"Hmm?" He turned to her with a strained smile, "Did you say something?" his question did not seem so curious as a confrontation. She stood firm with her stance, unblinking. Mark felt a sudden sense of shame that he was hovering over a bowl with his eyes low while she stared back.

"I said that I think its fitting" She replied.

"Yeah, it is, isn't it?" he seemed well pleased. "Strong-" he shot up his arms in a muscle man pose- "like a rock!" And just as smart, Mark thought. Ruby chuckled and returned to the stovetops.

As if he could read minds, he turned back to Mark. "What do you think?" he asked with his arms still in the pose.

"Oh, yeah definitely…I really can see it" he responded. He really didn't want to start something. Rock smirked in satisfaction. "How were you ever able to build such muscles?" Rock's eyes widened and so did his smile, he really was eating this up.

"Well, I sure didn't waste my time in the fields. I just spend my time walking around" Mark's eye twitched.

"Oh?" he didn't mean to say anything and with everyone looking to him now, he knew he had to continue, "It's a waste of time to work in the fields?" he asked.

"Working just in general is a waste. People just need to relax and stare at nothing for a while" he waved his hand in dismissal. Mark had no problem with taking breaks, sure, he thinks it's a good idea but he didn't like Rock's tone.

"What does taking breaks have to do with working being a waste?"

"Nothing, that's why I say working is a waste" That probably made perfect sense to him. But Mark was left in confusion. "People just work and work and work themselves to death. That's why I just don't do it. You don't need money to have a good life" His eyes suddenly became serious, "and the worst part is that most people don't even realize this and they are wasting time trying to have what is already there"

"Yeah, and how are these people supposed to support themselves?"

Rock made a show of how he exhaled, "You just don't get it. You're going to end up just like your dad" he said.

"What does that mean?" Mark was quick to ask.

"The man worked his brains out and went crazy" Rock said, "But that's what you get when you only value money"

"Hey, Rock. Back off" Nami said. Ruby nodded in agreement.

"What? I'm just kidding. What are you mad about Nami? You don't work either" He moved back, leaning away from the table. He had another strained string of laughter. The wrinkles in his eyes as he laughs makes a strange expression that is unbecoming of him. He turned back to Mark and stuck out a hand over the table.

"No hard feelings?" He cocked his head to the side.

Mark felt his insides tighten in anger. Even when Rock ask for reconciliation, he feels like he's being made fun of. He had half the nerve to slap his hand away.

"Come on, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings or anything. I'm sure your dad used to be normal" Mark could feel his mouth contorting into tight shapes as he let the anger waft over himself.

"What do you know about my father?" the room seemed to freeze in thick ice. Rock was the first to cool from it.

"Huh? Wha-"

"Because you sure have a lot to say" Mark's fingernails pressed even through his gloves onto the table in his grip, "You don't work. Are you serious? How old are you? Oh, wait- you don't have to work because you know the truth, yeah, you've been enlightened. That's how you're able to live with your mother and be a complete bum. Have you ever worked in your life? No, probably not. But you still think you can look down on others for going out and getting what they want in life-"

"What the hell do you know? Huh? You don't know shit about me so don't talk like you do!" Rock shouted. "You're getting pissed about nothing important"

"Boys-"

"I'm angry because you're talking shit about my father!"

"That's what I said, 'nothing important'!" Mark shot a hand out in Rock's direction. Rock's hair skipped as he fell back out of the way.

"Boys!" Ruby screamed as Mark lunged forward into the table with a second swing. He felt a heavy mass suddenly slam into his body and grab a spare arm. As he struggled he realized who it was by the red hair pressed into his shoulder.

"Nami!" Ruby yelled. He was in utter surprise and didn't even hear Rock's insults being hurled back in retaliation. Her arms loosed and wrapped around his chest quickly. One arm fully secured under her arm. Her strength was a total shock.

"What's going on!" A man burst into the room. The walls seemed to shake with his entry. All the proportions about him were wrong. His eyes were too small and his nose and teeth too big. He came in shouting.

"Tim!" Ruby screamed, "Come here!"

Just seeing that mammoth of a man charging was enough to make Mark quit his fit and straighten out. "What is it?" Tim asked, whole body leaning over table.

"The son of that bastard attacked me!" Rock shouted, pointing straight at Mark.

"That's because you provoked him" Nami contended.

Tim's beady eyes drew upon him just as Nami was releasing him. "Is this the new farmer?" he asked. Mark just tried to breathe, all that courage suddenly escaping through the pads of his feet.

"Didn't you hear me? He's the son of that creature- and he attacked me!"

"Rock, be quiet" Tim came forward.

"Are you the new farmer?" He asked him. Mark nodded.

"Why don't you sleep in your home. Why are you here?" He asked, his shadow kept Mark submerged in darkness.

"Well I…" he didn't know what to say. "I…"

"He can stay here if he wishes. He already paid even" Ruby said from behind Tim. Rock's mouth went gapped open. Tim turned to her, looking down upon her. Still, she held a firm gaze and the man just turned back to Mark before stalking away. In the moments to come, Mark almost felt like vomiting as the previous tension that he had forgotten in fear had reemerged even more intensely.

"Okay, so why doesn't everyone head out and I clean this all up" Ruby clapped her hands together, yet her voice shook. Mark just took the invitation and headed back up. Nami was only a few steps in front of him walking. Seeing her in front of him, he had some questions. Why did everyone seem to go strange because of his father?

It took him a few moments, right before she turned into her room, he to rushed her. "Nami-Hey Nam-" he grabbed the door between his hands.

"What?" She asked. Her eyes bore into him. Even when being rushed, her eyes remain in a strict position. Her sense of ease, set him off balance. "What is it?" she repeated.

"Oh…uh, I…" he could feel the time he was wasting slipping by. "Um, I just wanted to ask you… do you know why everyone is so interested in my father? Like, why does everyone keep bringing him up?" He asked, stepping away from the door. She turns away, scoffed, and took a step in the door.

"Wait-" he spun around the door and snatched her arm. "I asked you something" She caught his eyes with her dark gaze.

"Back off" she said, staring him down. They stood like that for a moment and he obeyed. Stepping back, he went to speak,

"Nami-"

"How close were you to your father?" she asked abruptly, not concerned at all that he was speaking. "Do you know what your father was like for the last year of his life?" Mark was taken aback.

"What do you mean?" He asked her yet she held the door knob in her hand and was quickly pulling it to a close.

"Nothing. What happened here should remain buried like your father"