Where the 2 friends while having their conversation are soon going to face troubles. But 2 unexpected guards will save them (and where readers are gonna meet some of my theories and beliefs and cringe like they've never cringed before. onto the chapter ahoy me boys!!! :D).

No one's POV:
-

Geno had already started regretting this. The amount of hatred in the air was toxic, humans were staring at them suspicious and who knew what they were thinking! He held tightly Alter's hand, getting stuck closer. Quickly Alter walked towards a table that seemed more distant than the other tables humans were sitting. They took their seats. Geno looked around. The waiters seemed to completely ignore them and not even looking at their direction. That kind of irritated him.

"I did stupidity. Maybe it's only for humans this restaurant?"

"Nah. If it was, they would have kicked us out by now."

"Why don't the waiters come?"

"To give on our nerves. In this case we're gonna have patience and do reversed psychology. The more we seem not to care that they don't come to ask what we want, the faster they'll get tired and might come. Then..." Alter leaned back. "... things might become a little dangerous. In that case, like I said, ya do nothing unless I command."

"Right."

"So. Do ya have questions to start conversation?"

"Mmm..." Geno did thoughtful. "When ya mentioned about the heredity and the monster species I found it interesting. The species, how are they separated?"

"When talking about this, it's based on the magic each has in their bodies and even the weapons. But we're not talking only about the monsters."

"What else?"

"Let's not forget that even humans have some magic in their bodies. But starting from even lower, we have the animals. No magic, no mind, emotions yes and only the instinct, claws, teeth, wings and other weapons they might have from nature. The lowest. Then there's humans. Many ancient wise men talked about the capabilites human souls can have if you train their virtue or how they name it, trait. If for example a human has the soul of bravery and they train themselves become brave and show it even in situations of fear, the soul will become stronger, so the magic weapon too. But if a human doesn't train their virtue-trait from young age, not only they will not be stronger, they might loose their magic weapon and their kids with big difficulty will regain the weapon of their trait."

"Woah."

"Aristotle would name that action of repeating something good and right and a virtue, Ethismo, which, if literally translated is like the word we know as addiction. Indeed that addiction to the good actions make humans develop virtues and so their souls."

"Cool. But how much magic do they have?"

"Certainly not more than physical matter. All magic is locked in their souls. Their bodies might get older faster than a monster ones, but at least the human souls doesn't break after dying."

"I see. So, what's above them in magic level?"

"Higher in magic are coming the monsters that have about 60-70% physical matter and the rest is magic but not locked in their souls like humans', it's flowing in them."

"What about them?"

"Some bad tongues says they came from the animals straight after they possessed magic and suddenly gained mind thanks to it while they didn't have before, that's why it stayed to call their category «The Animalistics». It's denied that they developed the same way humans did and that they had magic more than humans and mind from the beginning, which slowly grew bigger and better. But they support the first opinion due to the fact these monsters doesn't have extreme magic weapons and have what a normal animal would. Even that is not correct cause the weapons and abilities can be more special. Fleas are having the ability jump 60 times their height so imagine what Animalistic monsters with similar ability to jump high can do. Literally deny laws of gravity."

"Monsters like these are Aldo, Dave and that rat?"

"Correct. These monsters have only their physical weapons, but they have great stamina and like we mentioned when with Edge and Red, the magic blockers doesn't drain them fast if they don't have enough magic in their bodies. They can live a little longer than humans, enough times pass easily 100 years if they don't die by non-natural causes or fatal diseases."

"Impressive. What monsters are above them in magic?"

"Hm. It's an interesting category, what we say, they have the best of both worlds in physical matter and magic. These monsters came from combination of Animalistics with Elementals, our category. These are the monsters that are having 50-60% magic in their bodies. We call 'em «Phenomenals». Most of them look again like the Animalistic monsters in appearance, but their weapons ain't what you would call physical or something an animal would have."

"Whadaya mean?"

"Many possess powers and elements of the nature and in big degree what Elemental monsters have. They can be borned to control fire, or gravity, swim faster than normal in the water or communicate with animals and plants, the 'whisperers' and even control 'abstract meanings' such as Life and Death, or control and posses specific human traits, making their 'soul weapon'. Some have also healing powers. They have high tolerance against magic blockers, a tiny bit less than the Animalistic monsters but incredible for the magic they have in their bodies. In Phenomenals' category there are also the monsters that doesn't have any from the weapons I said above. They can't control elements or anything extreme but their physical weapons and senses are beyond normal. Either way all Phenomenals have a life spam that can pass the 200 years and even reach almost easily 300."

"Can ya give me a good example of a Phenomenal monster with not extreme magic?"

"Oh but you've already met him."

"Who?" Geno asked confused. Alter cleared his throat and suddenly left out quietly a tough, rough voice,

"Peasants!"

"Him?!"

"Shhh." Alter hushed surprised Geno. Luckily they only received some expressions of annoyance from the humans and they got ignored again soon enough.

"The dog is Phenomenal?!" Geno shout-whispered. "But I thought he was-!"

"Animalistic huh? Not really."

"What's his extreme weapon?"

"Except that his smell and hearing are really strong, his real magic weapon is in his claws. Despite he looks like a dog, his father was Elemental monster and had the ability to control metals. And that characteristic gave him a special ability for his claws."

"Really?"

"If he doesn't summon his magic, his claws are doing more damage if he slashes or tries to hit ya fast. He has to put some effort. But if he summons what he calls the 'Silver claws' he's able break a plank in 2 by just flicking it."

"I'm never letting him touch me again!"

"Don't take oath. Wasn't he careful not to harm ya when he had to handle you?"

"I won't trust him. As long as he's Captain's obedient puppy he does nothing to me!"

"Hmmm, fine."

"Now. What about the Elementals ya said? Our category."

"Elementals are having 70-90% magic matter in their bodies. The can even live half a century, depends on how much magic they have. They control more powers and have more magic weapons than Phenomenals at once usually but it's the most fragile category. They don't have enough physical matter to not get damaged easily and it all counts on the soul, the culmination of our being, that works the most to keep an Elemental monster alive and help in survival."

"Woah. Say, how much us skeletons can live?"

"About your case I can't talk with certainty but probably way longer than normal. If we're talking about a normal skeleton that controls blue magic and the gravity like me, we can pass 300 years easily enough. But it depends also and to what powers you have. If a skeleton controls an abstract meaning they live much longer."

"Like?"

"Sir controls except from blue magic the Death, or as it's also called Necromancy."

"No wonder." Geno said rolling his eyesocket. But he quickly looked again at Alter. "What can Necromancers do exactly?

"Necromancers can interact with the dead, hear souls, sense them from a long distance and even 'read' accurately their state, if a soul is good or about to die, if it's healthy or not. As you've probably seen, Sir can also float and of course, weapon for every Necromancer is the skythe."

"Ah yes, I've seen it..." Geno remembered when Captain slashed in one go the sirens and mermaids. To defend hi-

"Lastly his most dangerous weapon, the death touch."

"Oh. I've heard about it. With just the slightest contact the victim gets a slow, agonising and painful death. But it can be controlled right?"

"If the necromancer with their own will doesn't desire to kill someone they won't. Only monsters that control abstract meanings can tolerate the deadly touch."

"Awesome."

"And lastly we have on top the Immortal beings, which ya share characteristics with."

"Ah great."

"It's still unknown how sirens and mermaids are immortal when they don't have as much magic as us. And yet they have deadly powers and hold immortality. Not immunity but still."

"Are there any other creatures like them?" Geno asked. Alter looked up thoughtful but smiling for a while before looking again at Geno.

"Y'know... There's another much different immortal monster that still shares the same name with your kind."

"Another type of Siren?"

"Yeah. But they don't have tails. They were described to have characteristics of birds."

"Wha..."

"An ancient Greek poet named Homer, mentions in an epic poem called Odyssey, some creatures described to look like a combination of women and birds in various different forms. They were represented as birds with large women's heads, bird feathers and scaly feet. This is how the first, ancient sirens were like."

"Didn't know my mother's kind was of the same name with some feathered creatures. But why do we have the same name as species?"

"Both siren kinds share the same basic deadly ability that characterises them, to lure with their magical voices. But while your mother's kind can swim and hear the wind, sirens Homer described can fly and control the wind's direction. Also they devour their victims, they don't just drown them."

"So they have magical voices but has the appetite of mermaids? Yikes." Geno did shivering but impressed with what he was hearing.

"You want to order?" A voice behind Geno, quite rudely asked. He turned and saw a waiter staring one at him and one at Alter with an expression like he had eaten a slice of lemon. Alter nodded with a kind smile, ignoring the human's expression. He gave a quick order and the waiter, after staying to look at them with the same sour expression finally turned his back and left.

"I don't like this guy." Geno murmured.

"If you already don't like the waiter, I can imagine how much you won't like the boss of this restaurant." Alter said indifferently rolling his eyesockets. They both stayed silent for some seconds. Geno looked at Alter with an... uneasy expression. Something else seemed to bother him. Finally Alter saw him and raised bonebrow.

"What?"

"Uhhh... Guido? Pardon me asking... but..." Geno's face had started turning red and luckily he had his hood up or everyone could see him.

"Don't hesitate. What is it?" Alter tried to encourage him smiling chilly.

"Well... about the Elemental monsters... if they ummm, have more magic matter than physical in their bodies... and the magic replaces in big degree what other beings would need..."

"Yeah?" Alter waited patiently. Geno looked down and rubbed the back of his skull. He finally dropped the question.

"Howdotheyreproducewithoutgenitals?!" He asked extremely fast feeling his face ready to explode.

Alter looked at him raising both bonebrows. He suddenly started laughing quietly after some seconds, when he stopped he kept looking at Geno cheerful.

"You're so adorable."

"Just answer please!" Geno said trying to cool himself down. Chuckling quietly Alter sighed.

"The soul is the one that does all the work almost to keep us alive. Except that it helps us summon magic weapons, it can also make things that helps with little but important things daily."

"Like?"

"What organ do we have that helps us talk kiddo?" Alter asked.

"Uh... Tongues."

"Correct. Without it we wouldn't be able talking, nor swallow easily. We normally don't have it but tongue is a necessary thing to have and although we use it the biggest part of the day, even right now, it demands a very little amount of magic to be formed and help. For something more complicated, like 'stomach', it's a reminder to gain energy through food. Our metabolism vanishes what we eat extremely fast, saving it as energy. Though a bigger organ, the energy we receive with the food is much more than what the magic stomach wastes by being formed to help in survival."

"Ah, I see. W-Well, what about the reproduction now?"

"Forming genitals to have babies is possible in some terms but it might be from the biggest energy waste we can do if we were trying. It's true that we still have to come in contact, but the soul is the one that takes the role carry babies."

"How?"

"When 2 monsters come in contact, except from the bodies, their souls are colliding and beat in sync. The more the close contact between 2 Elemental monsters stays and they show their affection to each other the bigger the possibilities create life is. The baby soul gets tied near the host's soul until it's filled with enough magic to work, get untied and work as a separated alive being. We do not reproduce like humans or monsters with more physical matter that have organs."

"Aaah, ok. But!" Geno objected. "What if 2 completely different monsters in category try to have babies? How did the Phenomenal monsters came if that's the case?"

"Depends on who's the host then for the baby to grow like a normal embryo or tied near the soul. Like I said, in some terms is possible and exceptions happen."

"What if a human and a monster were united?" Silence fell between them. Geno waited for Alter, he had gotten surprised with that question a little. Finally he looked away sighing.

"A baby coming from a human and a monster's unison... not only it's extremely difficult and rare, it's the biggest taboo not even nature agrees with."

"Why?"

"These kids brought to existence are having 2 very different cases: they're premature and whether way too fragile and weak because of sharing both human and monster characteristics to survive, or, they're extremely strong, in a degree they can't control their powers and are considered threats. In both cases they will end up dead almost everytime. The host also, whether it's the human or the monster, bringing to life such kids will kill them too. Even the unison of a human with an Animalistic or Phenomenal monster, that are having common enough organism, is dangerous. But even if these babies were surviving, it would be difficult get along. They literally belong and at the same time doesn't belong to any side, nor with the humans, nor with the monsters."

"This forbidden?!"

"Yeah."

"Do ya know any case of these kids?" Geno asked looking at Alter with hope to hear. The other smiled gently and looked up.

"I know in fact. A boy I met in the monasteries."

"Really?! How was he?"

"I met him the second time I came with mother. I was 11 and he was barely 1 year old. At first he looked like a very pale sick skeleton baby. Monks said a skeleton had given birth near the monasteries and begged to save her baby. The very next moment she had dusted, leaving the baby defenceless. The monks took it in to help, with a lot of difficulty because it was getting sick often."

"How was he named?"

"At first he was named Vincent. Against all odds he managed to survive and grow up. But near 5 years old, he went through a difficult change, revealing that he wasn't a normal skeleton and explaining why he was getting sick so often."

"What happened?"

"Without warning he had started coughing up blood, but red. Then he somehow started forming... human flesh around his bones."

"How is that possible?!"

"The malfunctions of slowly developing human characteristics can't be easily explained since not many babies like Vincent manages to survive. I dunno. When 7 years old he looked more like a human, but he was extremely pale, bald and he still had eyesockets."

"The monks kept him even after these creepy changes?"

"Of course and they kept him, whadaya mean?! When he was 8 years old he had even started growing brown hair. Nearly to become 9 he had replaced the eyesockets with normal human eyes, a darker brown tone than his hair. He was again very pale with dark circles under his eyes but almost his whole appearance was showing human."

"Almost?"

"His arms from the elbow to the edge of his hands stayed skeletal. He was able use telekinesis, teleport and heal. It was obvious, his father was human, but who?"

"Why does this description is so familiar?" Geno thought.

"Despite of how he was, Vincent was a very kind and brilliant boy. His soul was half monster and half human soul with the color green, the trait of kindness. Everytime I would come and see his development we slowly became friends, because he was learning too the monk's life. He proved to be way smarter, wiser and loyal to the Lord and all of his advices and ideas were very correct, despite being so young. He had learn praying with bigger than anyone else focus and it seemed he was blessed by God in many ways. I learned some things from him too. Only once per century you find such mind and intelligence."

"He sounds like a cool guy and it's awesome he survived. What happened to him later though? He stayed forever in the monasteries even after ya were gone to follow, y'know..." Alter seemed ready to answer. But then a waiter, different than the last one that took orders approached and let down plates with food. He filled the glasses with water.

Still staring at them he threw a blunt, Enjoy... He didn't seem rude• just like he was disliking his job everyday whether he had to serve humans whether monsters. There was also in his expression something like worry? Regret? Only for a fleeing moment Geno had the feeling he saw it like that before the waiter turn his back and leave. He had leave on the table... soups. Geno's was red and he looked at it suspicious.

"Tomato soup. Don't worry it's not alive." Alter joked. But then, looking around carefully he looked at Geno focused. "... Not alive but we're not sure yet if it's dangerous though."

"What do you mean?"

"Alright kid. I have a little task for ya. I want you to look behind but without turning your head."

"Um... This doesn't make sense."

"Use a mirror." Alter threw bluntly and waited. Geno looked at him even more confused. But when his eyesocket fell on the glass he had near, he understood. Discreetly he looked through it. The reflection surprisingly showed clear icon behind him. He flinched seeing that a human with dark hair was standing near the door of the kitchen with crossed arms. And staring at them intensively.

"I can see, but tell me if ya can see the same." Alter said calmly. Geno gulped silently.

"There's a fatso with dark hair near the kitchen door staring at us as if he's trying to kill us with his look." He whispered, looking at Alter worried. The taller closed eyesockets and sighed.

"Kid. I have a new little task. I want you not to taste, but try smell the soup carefully. Tell me what you smelled." He said. Looking at him confused Geno looked down at his soup. He started breathing in slowly. A realisation hitted him soon. The first time the smell reached him he had actually find it ok.

But now that he was smelling more carefully after Alter's command he sensed there was something... off. Something threatening. The other soup was the same way!

"Now that I smelled again, there's something bad. In both soups."

"What sensation does that give you?" Alter insisted. Geno tried to focus.

"It smells... bitter and gives me a feeling as if it's choking me!" He looked at Alter surprised. "There's poison!"

"Just as I predicted..." Alter said calmly. "... And I think I know what poison it is. Conium."

"Conium?"

"Conium maculatum in Latin. Extremely poisonous. Extracts of the plant were used as sedatives and antispasmodics once. Conium references to the Greek word koneios, which means 'spin' or 'whirl', alluding to the dizzying effects of the plant's poison."

"How poisonous?"

"A small overdose of extract of the plant causes the consumer to paralyse. Higher toxic doses disrupts the peripheral nervous system causing a flaccid respiratory paralysis leading to death. The general symptoms of poisoning are effects on the nervous system, stimulation followed by paralysis of motor nerve endings, which succeeds vomiting, trembling, problems in movement, slow and weak but later rapid pulse, rapid respiration, salivation, nausea, convulsions, and coma followed by death. Historically Athenians made it their instrument of capital punishment and it has been used in official executions and assassinations to condemned prisoners or 'outcasts' of the society who weren't following what most believed. For example Theramenes, Phocion and one of the most important ancient greek philosophers in history Socrates, died from a fatal overdose of the poison in public execution."

(have you ever eaten something poisonous? or has your parents told ya so if you yourselves weren't remembering?)

"Poor guys."

"Yeah, poor them."

"What are we gonna do? That human is waiting for us to start eating and if we don't we probably won't get out alive either way! Is there any antidote for conium?"

"There are 2 ways not to die from it."

"Really? How?"

"Gastric lavage is one way to get rid of the poison if you've consumed it. And if symptoms of the poisoning had already started, support respiration and treatment with activated charcoal and saline cathartic are used. These treatments are also given to barn herbivore mammals if they accidentally eat conium plants."

"Ew. And where does that help? It executes the poison inside your stomach?"

"No. It helps ya vomit it all out."

"Eeew!"

"If it works saving your life." Alter said shrugging his shoulders. "The second way is the same for almost all poisons: create immunity against them."

"And that can happen?"

"All poisons are medicines if ya take very small doses from it and slowly increase the dose until it can't affect ya. And medicines can be poisons if ya take them without being ill or taking big dose in one go. In our case, we have conium, which is very difficult create immunity against it. At least for a human organism."

"Please tell me you've created immunity against conium!" Geno shout-whispered again.

"Hm, it was disgusting but in a few weeks it was easy. Like I said our metabolism as skeletons is way fast to vanish anything we consume. Of course this doesn't mean we can tolerate poisons immediately, like, the first time Ramirez didn't give me in one go a big dose of conium-"

"Eh no! He tried poisoning ya?!"

"Ah no. I just saw him once years ago experiencing with the poisons and drinking them and I wanted to try too."

"Somehow ya became besties through this habit, didn't ya?" Geno murmured rolling his eyesocket. Alter chuckled.

"Perhaps. Now..." Alter took a spoonful from his soup, looking at it rather cheerful. "... Wish me 'bone' appetite." And he swallowed.

1 minute passed in silence. Geno was looking at Alter worried. He feared that any second he would start spasming and choking from the conium. When he looked again through his glass he saw that the human that was staring at them was now smiling evilly. He was expecting the same thing, for Alter to start dying.

"Wooo! Despite the conium's taste ruins it a tiny bit, this soup is good!" Alter finally whispered. He didn't seem ill, no effects from the poison. Geno sighed relieved.

"Woah, easy!" He said though when Alter took another spoonful without hesitation and swallowed it down. They both chuckled quietly, without realising that someone was approaching them.

"Are you enjoying the food?" They heard someone talking in a 'sweet' tone. Geno turned and saw the human that was staring at them before nonstopping, smiling with difficulty.

"Ah mamma mia signore!" Alter suddenly said in an excited happy tone, adding italian accent. "... Tell the chefs they wrote history! I haven't tasted such soup in a long long time!" He seemed all of a sudden foolish. Naive. Wow. He was good at pretending something that it was the exact opposite of his character.

"I see. I see..." The human said quietly and still smiling. Some seconds in silence fell between them. Suddenly the human grabbed Alter from his collar making him get up from his seat. Despite that move Alter kept smiling with fake surprise.

"Alright you f*cking skeleton! Why aren't you dying?!" The human asked glaring at him.

"Die? Che cosa intende signore?" Alter kept playing dump.

"Boss boss!" The same waiter that served the 2 friends came near the human that was holding Alter. He seemed agitated as he was whispering fast in his ear. The other, the boss of the restaurant, all of a sudden lost his color.

"Tefra and Pyros the Infernal siblings?!" He yelled letting Alter, who fell on the floor and started fixing his vest. The 2 humans walked away a few steps. The young waiter kept whispering agitated to his boss for a few more seconds. When he was done, the boss was even more pale.

"Both siblings are in our side of town?" He asked out loud. The waiter nodded. "And they're coming towards my restaurant?!" The answer was again a nod. The boss' expression turned angry and growled.

"That b*tch has no other job except trying to close my restaurant because of her suspicions that I do crimes, escorted by her stupid annoying brother!" He said. All of a sudden all humans on the tables started murmuring annoyed.

"Her again?"

"Why doesn't she crawl back to the hellhole she came out from?"

"Hot chick but her attitude sucks!"

"Guido, what's going on?" Geno asked worried. Alter didn't reply. He only signed him to be quiet. Still growling the boss walked away. The waiter approached their table looking at them rather sad than with condemn.

"Boss wants you to stay quiet until some... visitors we'll have soon, leave..." He said calmly. Then he turned his back and left too. While the humans were making fuss, silence had fallen between the 2 skeletons for many seconds.

"Kid..." Geno turned sharply to look at Alter hearing him.

"Yes?"

"I hope you've made your fake identify, cause something's telling me we'll have to introduce ourselves soon."

"Why?" Geno asked. Alter stayed silent for a moment.

"... I believe monster guards are coming." He said calmly. Geno looked at the opening of the restaurant agitated. He should have been relieved that he would finally see monsters, even guards. But the humans' comments had make him instead of relieved, worried.

The way they were describing them, in the most terrific way had caused him to worry. Now he was imagining tall, horrific and merciless monsters were going to visit and everyone seemed to hate but also fear them so much. Suddenly he heard the door opening and he froze. He wasn't sure if he could look behind.

"Shhh! It's them! The siblings..." A human at a near table said. Ah, he couldn't take it anymore. Geno turned to slowly look behind him...

dun dun duuun! a cliffhanger. now wait for the next chapter to find out who came in! 4750 words. goodbye mah beautiful beans *pat pet pot*