As Riley went out to bring the carriage and the horse, Anastasia and Marika go into the bath together.
As she sees Marika's brutally tortured body, scars all over and welts on shoulders and arms Anastasia gets deeply worried about her. They clean one another as Marika told him that his husband, Doreto, became like this when they lost thier son. She begged Anastasia, not to hate her husband as tears covered her face.
As the both came out of the bath, cleaned and dressed, they found out that Riley had slep on the mat of the living room.
After giggling at Riley's sleeping face for abit, Anastasia followed Marika inside her bedroom.
After talking for abit as they layed down, Sleep finally engulfed Anastasia as she was dreaming ahead of Marika.
Marika, pushed her hair to the back and kissed her beautiful forehead.
"Eiser... Thank you"
She mumbled in her sleep. As Marika watched and smiled. She turned the lights off and faced away from Anastasia cozing herself to sleep.
Inside the embellished living room; With tiles and a diaphanous red rug. The baby with golden hair crawled onto that shining floor, as Marika and Doreto both opened their hands out for him to catch. The baby giggled as he crawled into the arms of his father.
Marika read a story to the baby as Doreto watched his world with those endearing eyes. As that 1 year old baby went asleep, both of them quietly came out of the baby's room. Thunder rumbled outside, that was scary enough make Marika shiver. As Doreto held her.
Suddenly, in the middle of that storm, someone knocked onto the door. Marika and Doreto, whom had finally got time for themselves, got up to see thier visitor.
"Who is it?"
Doreto asked.
"Open up! Its me, Faust!"
The man at the door replied.
Doreto quickly opened the door saw standing a tall man drenched in the storm, with long drenched hair and stormy grey eyes.
Doreto invited Faust inside and took him to the bath room.
As the thinder rumbled more, the baby inside the room started to cry.
Marika quickly rushed to the baby, got him out of the craddle and picked him up onto his arms.
"Oh its alright.... Dont cry baby."
Marika calmed her baby down who was perhaps terrified from that loud rumblimg and storm.
"Goshh i wish this storm would end already!"
She said, sitting at the sofa in the lounge. As the baby in her arms continued to cry.
Faust and Doreto, after cleaning Fuast's clothes joined aswell and sat down there.
"Hush little baby Dont you Cry. Everything's going to be alright! Hush little baby Don't say word. Mommy's gonna sing you a lullaby. Hush little baby dont you cry, daddy's going to buy you a mockingbird. If that mockingbird wont sing. Mommy's going to buy you a golden ring."
Faust listened to that Lullaby as he remembered his son and wife that he had left behind and had come to his friend to do the same. To leave this peaceful, heavenly life, to go with him on a journey of endless pain and torture.
The baby slept again in Marika's arms after listening to the lullaby.
Faust took a gulp before he could focus.
"What brought you here at this time huh?"
Doreto said.
"Dont tell me Erika throw you out?"
He added.
Yet Faust's dead eyes didn't flinch. He stared into that feeder as suddenly tears covered his face.
"Hey, Faust! Are you alright?"
Doreto asked.
"Huh? Yeah i am good!"
He said as he took a gulp.
"You look pale, Faust. Your eyes, they are empty. As if you've thrown everything aside. Just what have you done?"
Doreto said as his voice grew chiller.
Faust didn't answer as that lullaby was the only thing that was stuck in his head.
"That's right!"
He suddenly blurted.
As he did, he laughed. He laughed as tears started to run again from his eyes.
"Yknow what Doreto?? I abandoned my family!!"
He shouted as he laughed and cried beat himself up.
Doreto calmed him down.
"Faust!! Faust!!".
He screamed as he blocked his arms from hittimg himself.
"Have you gone senile, Faust?"
What has happened to you?"
Doreto said in concern.
Faust remained quiet. He gasped as he shook his head.
Marika remembered that thunderous night, as now her eyes couldn't even rain. The only thing left was that cold despair and exhaustion.
In the morning, Ana and Riley said Marika their goodbyes.
"Remember! You are strong! No matter what happened in your past! It was not your fault! You just have to live in the oresent accepting it alright? And if that douchebag of a husband returns you have to give him a beating yourself alright?
Amastasia said as she shook her shoulders.
Tears finally came dowm from Marika's eyes. As she hugged her again.
"Thank you for believing in me".
She said as they parted.
Yet as soon as Riley and Ana sat on their carriage and left, Hibino, covered in his green fur hood, appeared infront of Marika again.
"Ohh.. You are here! How have you been?"
Marika said as she saw Hibino.
"I am good. Is everything going well with Doreto?"
He asked in solemn, cold manner.
"Why yes. It has!"
She replied.
Hibino was quite relieved after seeing her this time, for she looked bearable, her clothes weren't torn and her golden hair, that once dazzled so bright that they out the sun to shame, had gotten abit of thier touch again.
"Are you smiling. Young man?"
Marika said as she peaked down into his hood.
"Here, the orbs!"
He said as he handed over the bag, he had gotten last night to her.
"Hmmmm... Should i really keep them? Or Perhaps should i ask your name first?"
She said in a teasing manner.
"I've told you already that my first given name is Franz! First names dont matter. I have to give some other people these bags too. So I'll be leaving."
He said as he turned around.
Yet as he did, Marika's arms rolled across him, stopping him from leaving.
"What is it you are doing?"
He asked as he got shocked.
"Its alright yknow! I just got this advice myself, so I'll share it to you."
She said.
"Oh yeah... And what is that?".
He asked.
"You dont have to carry your past burdens. Accept your past and live in the present. Alright. Hibino?"
She said as she supported her head on his back.
As he heard that. Tears started to flow out his eyes. As he stsrted to cry like a baby again.
"Oh Cmon. You havent stopped being a crybaby?"
Marika said as her face was covered with tears aswell.
As Hibino turmed around, he hughed her.
"I am Sorry! Mom..."
He said as his voice broke down and he started to cry.
"Its alright! Its alright!"
She said as she pat his head.
———————
Steve suddenly sat up, breathing heavily as he was drenched in sweat.
"Umm...Steve. Are you alright?"
Lisa asked. Sitting just beside her, where Jessica usually sat, inside the room.
"Where are we?". Steve asked her.
"Its an inn". She softly replied.
"Heather and Xyrock?"
"They just went to the market. You need to relax."
She said.
Yet he remained quiet.
"Here, have some water!"
She said as she gave him a bottle of water.
Steve grabbed that bottle of water and stared at it. As he did, tears accompanied with the flooding memories of his harsh treatmemt to The Phantom Troop and Jessica partially came to him.
"What is it?"
Lisa asked. Yet Steve, again didn't reply.
"Did you boil the water?"
He suddenly said.
"Huh? Umm do you drink boiled water?"
She asked.
"Yes, I do."
He replied filled with a sudden weight on his heart.
"Alright, I'll boil it then!"
She said as she grabbed the water bottle from him.
As Lisa quietly boiled the water, a sudden frightening feeling came over Steve. That haunting feeling that made his heart explode, as shivers ran down his spine. His breath started to escalate with the sudden the wimping of his brows.
His hands shook violently as he raised them, and got surprised by seeing blood on his hands.
"Uhh.. Steve? Are you alright?"
Lisa asked as she handed over the pot of hot water to him.
"Yeahh... Yeah I am!!"
Steve said with burrows on his forehead and widened eyes.
"You are Pale, and Why are you sweating this much!"
She genlty asked as she placed her hand to his forehead.
As she did, Steve quickly slapped her hand and got back.
"No! No! Please, Dont come near."
Steve said as his tone ravaged.
Lisa was shocked aswell, for she had seen the things before. Her hands unconsciously started to shake as she attempted to calm him.
"s-s-Steve its... Its alright!"
She mumbled.
"I-i.... I am Sorry!"
Steve suddenly said, staring at his hands.
"Take deep breaths! Steve, calm yourself! Whatever happened during your episode, it wasn't you fault!"
Lisa affirmed. For the first time, she had spoken in a loud voice. For Steve's eyes were shaking along with his wimpering jaw.
"No... It was!"
He coldly replied. Steve had come to a conclusion.
"Steve! Calm down! Please!"
Lisa continued.
"Jess.... My dear Jess.... Did I-?
He spoke to himself as suddenly Lisa grbbed his cheeks, making him look into her eyes.
"Look into my eyes, Steve! Does it look like I am scared at all?"
She said as she placed her hands onto his cheeks, forcing him to meet her gaze.
"But I... Jessica.... I-"
His voice broke down. For he had no words to explain anything, his tears that ran down like rain, did all the talking for him.
Lisa quickly hugged him as he started to cry. Gently brushing his back, as he wept onto her chest.
"Its aall right! Cry all you want. That's the way to talk".
She said in melancholic tone. Comforting her as memories of her own filled her heart and eyes.
As he cried om his chest, telling him about that day, that day he became Quietly Evil, broken in parts and words as tears started to accompany from Lisa's eyes aswell.
Soon after, the flood coming from Steve's eyes calmed down.
"We're back!"
Heather said as her and Xyrock came back with bags of food.
As they did, Heather quickly went to Steve, who was sitting on the ground, with little to no expressions on his face.
"Steve?"
She called him.
Steve looked up as he smiled.
"You guys are back, That's good."
He said as he stood up.
Heather watched him in confusion as he did.
"What happened?"
She asked in concern.
Steve looked at Heather, yet he couldn't match her upright gaze. With those eyes, filled with regret and remorse, red from all that crying, he looked at her for the final time. Her long silver hair, her emerald green eyes, those dark full lips and long amd slender fingers, and a tough body that would put a normal man to shame.
He reached out his hand and gently brushed his cheeck. Xyrock watched it all in confusion, yet as he looked at Lisa, who had the same red eyes, he took a gulp as he lowered his gaze.
"Grow up into a fine woman!"
Steve said as he smiled with a quivering jaw.
"Heh.. I will. What are you talking about?"
She asked in a feigning confusion.
"Oh you guys know what i am talking about! You guys know everything!"
With a heavy voice, he replied.
"Steve No! No! You... You cant!"
She ravaged as she gripped his hand on her cheek abit tighter.
Steve lowered his hand.
Yet as he did, Heather hugged him abruptly as she started to cry her chest out.
"I am not ready!"
She cried as she hugged him tightly.
This time it was Steve, who comforted her.
"I have a favor to ask of you, Heather!"
He suddenly spoke.
Heather tried to calm herself as she rubbed her eyes.
"What is it?". She asked.
"Go towards the mountain ranges. That's where i last saw Jessica. Go there and, if you find her there, Please save her, tell her that i am Sorry!"
He said in a warm, melancholic tone.
"What about everyone else?"
She suddenly asked.
"They're together! They'll be fine. After you've done what i told. Please, Live your life, run away from all this mess and just be happy."
He added. Then he turned his attention toward Lisa.
"Thank you for everything you've done for me! But please, boil the water before you guys use it or drink it!"
He advised.
After which he went to Xyrock, he looked at him with a feigning smile as Xyrock suddenly hugged Steve.
"I am sorry for that scar on your lip!"
Steve said.
"No worries!" He replied.
"Take care of her". Steve said as he looked him in the eye.
"I will. You be safe aswell."
Xyrock replied.
As Steve opened the door to the room, he looked back one final time.
"Where are you headed now?"
Xyrock asked.
"Heh. I don't know!"
He replied as he smiled.
Lisa and Heather both teary eyed, watched his final wave as he stepped outside the door and left by himself.
**********
Tips:
Anastasia unlocked First Evolution throigh her extreme desire of protecting Jessica.