Where Geno and Alter finally step foot inside the Capital and begin their wandering. But someone doesn't seem to be fooled by their disguises.

No one's POV:
-

The stairs leaded the 2 skeletons on what seemed like... dead end. Alter knocked 3 times on the ceiling or whatever was above them, you couldn't really tell with the darkness. For some seconds nothing. Then footsteps seemed to be heard above them, approach and after some seconds stop.

"Quod est signum secretum?" A deep voice above them seemed to ask.

"Deus nos omnes custodit." Alter replied without hesitation. Not even 3 seconds later the floor above them opened and the hand of a human was stretched, ready to help them. Alter grabbed the hand and then helped Geno. Once they had step away from the secret stairs the human that opened them closed the trap door.

"Thanks for opening us." Alter said to the human priest, who had short brown beard. He just nodded. Alter held again Geno's hand and walked out of the confessional because this was where the trap door was. By first glance it seemed normal, but it was in fact the safest secret shortcut to enter from outside inside Capital and back.

It was clever the stairs were leading from the monastery to that church's confessional• and then it was easy just walk out of the church as if nothing happened. Camouflaged opening, nothing suspicious. Once the 2 skeletons were out of the confessional all priests that were around immediately lowered their heads.

Alter did the same. Geno looked around him uncertain and hesitant seeing all these humans with cassocks. Alter signed him to not worry. Then he looked at everyone and placed his finger in front of his mouth. Sign of silence. The other humans did the same.

Alter looked again at Geno smiling even more tenderly. Together they approached the opening of the church. But near it they stopped. Geno looked up to his friend raising bonebrow. He was looking above him. Unconsciously Geno looked up too and got absent-minded from the stained-glass windows, the mosaics and the saint icons.

This church was more rich and magnificent than the monastery. Alter turned to look at Geno and kneeled. He wore around his wrist a fake magic blocker, then wore one around Geno's wrist.

"Alright Geno..." Alter finally spoke. "... We're here." Geno looked to his left. All priests seemed to ignore them as if they had never seen them coming out of the confessional. "They're on our side son. They do very well to pretend they ignore us."

"What side Alter? You ok, but there's no way these religious people are with pirates' side." Geno pointed out. The other chuckled.

"When did I talk about pirates' side?" He asked cheerfully. Geno looked at him confused.

"What other side is there?"

"I'll show ya soon for what I'm talking about. But first we'll do what's important for ya, then the real fun can begin." Alter replied enigmatically. Geno wanted to ask again. But he didn't ask about it. Instead he looked outside.

"... Won't we go out and... start?" He eventually asked a little hesitant. Alter's smile suddenly dissappeared. He stayed silent for some seconds.

"We can begin. But in order to proceed in the society we've entered, still unknown to ya, I have 3 rules and please, listen to me carefully Geno." Alter said calmly. This sudden swing of mood troubled Geno. But he nodded and waited to hear.

"Rule number 1. You do not go far away from me. I need to make sure you're safe at all times and that you won't panic. I don't know everything but I know just enough to help you get away from the most serious troubles Lisbon has. Understandable?"

"I'm not getting away from you. Uh huh." Geno said and nodded.

"... Rule number 2. I want you to listen very carefully when I say or command something. Especially, in tension. If I command you to run, you will run. If I command you to hide, you will hide. And if I command you to leave me behind... don't even turn to look at me."

"W-What?" Geno whispered, agitated with how serious this had turn. "B-But-"

"If it's for your protection, it matters more for ya to live. Do not disobey in any way. Please understand. Will you do that too?" Alter asked even more serious. Geno almost stepped back, he didn't like how Alter was staring at him. But he nodded. Slowly and weakly. Alter closed his eyesockets and stayed silent for a moment.

"A-Alright. Just hopefully nothing bad happens. So... what's the 3rd rule?" Geno asked waveringly. Alter looked outside before turning to look at the smaller skeleton all of a sudden smiling cheerfully as if he wasn't serious a while ago.

"Rule number 3! Forget that we are Geno the siren and Alter the priest! If they ask who we are, my name is Guido Siracusa and you're my kid!"

"Alri-. Wait what?!" Before Geno could react Alter walked outside, with the other trying to catch up with him. Alter hushed him quietly and signed discreetly to calm down. Geno walked next to him still looking at his friend surprised.

"If ya want, choose yourself your fake identity. I'll go with it." Alter said calmly. Geno didn't say anything and he slowly looked around the environment he was suddenly in. His eyesocket widened up seeing the big magnificent buildings, the stores and the houses. He looked down and saw that the road was paved.

Far away and ahead he could barely see the walls, damn, Capital was big. When he looked from the other side he saw the castle standing taller than anything else, making the other buildings look in front of it like snots. There was life everywhere his eyesocket could see but... it was only humans.

Mostly men were walking around occupied with their business. Human soldiers were patrolling in pairs mostly and scanning around. The first impression Geno felt from the environment got replaced with insecurity. He tugged Alter's sleeve and looked up to him worried.

"Fear not kid. Everything will be fine. Don't think about it much, just keep in your mind I'm close. And the promise is a promise, I'm not leaving your side like I said a few days ago. Shall we start?" Alter asked absolutely calm. Geno didn't reply, he took a deep breath and just nodded. Alter leaded the way. For a minute they walked in silence.

Geno had started getting worried again. Once the humans started realising their presence they were staring at them intensively. The soldiers especially wouldn't stop staring at them, they were walking slower just to observe them for longer. Not even a monster around them• wasn't there any other to not feel strange?

"I know how ya feel." Alter said calmly. Geno looked up to him, he was smiling and looking ahead as if he wasn't seeing the humans.

"How does he handle this so calmly?" Geno wondered. Alter huffed.

"So. We need to plan things out a tiny bit. First we need to memorise the streets a little on humans' side of town. That, so ya can get used to this environment. Then, we'll try to find our way for the monsters' side. It doesn't have the same luxury with the humans' side of town, but things will be easier. There, we'll ask information about the witch and take care of your 'appointment' with her. Sounds good?"

"Can't we go now to the monsters?" Geno murmured. He had started shaking, it was annoying and he was getting more and more nervous with how everyone would stare at them.

"Ya need to bare with it. You're much braver than you think. I know you can do it." Alter said with a tender expression. Geno looked down as he was still walking. He didn't speak for a while. But slowly he started calming down. Still he was agitated. But he looked up to Alter.

"Hey Al- ummm. Guido..."

"Glad ya remembered on time to correct yourself. What is it?" Alter asked. Geno opened his mouth but didn't say anything for a moment. He looked down to gather his thoughts and finally looked up to Alter again.

"Despite coming from just a village, you know so many things. You're intelligent, like God! You're gifted with a lot of intelligence. You're so calm almost all the time, you have so much patience. I... I respect and admire you a lot for that..."

"... I... Can I ask something?" Geno asked looking at Alter waveringly.

"Go ahead..." He encouraged him to speak. Geno took one more breath.

"... From very early my life was unstable. I never got the chance learn much, educate myself. If... If it's not absurd or difficult, when the mission ends, could you teach me whatever you know?" He asked a little bit more braver in the end. Alter, without loosing his smile raised bonebrow. He looked ahead.

"It would be my pleasure become your official educator if you desire so. But we can even learn while we're here." He said.

"Really? How?"

"Do ya know why I'm calm not just most of the times but right now? Because I'm prepared, know what to expect if it comes and how to handle it. This society looks amazing but it's people are wearing masks. This is what you will learn here. In our interactions, we need to be very careful who we're talking to, even if they seem innocent. We'll analyse people, see through their masks and reveal what kind of persons they truly are. Only then we'll know if they are trustworthy, friendly or bad towards us. Whadaya think of all people around ya right now?" Alter asked. Geno looked around quickly and looked again at him worried.

"I think they want to slash us into pieces."

"Interesting use of words."
Alter said cheerfully.

"Am I exaggerating?"

"Not really, right now I don't know anyone around us personally, so I short of thought the same with ya. And why do ya think they want to harm us?"

"Because we're skeletons, monsters."

"And what will they try to do to accomplish that?"

"Whenever they want they can come up and end us freely? I mean, the soldiers doesn't look at us friendly either. And ya said they don't care if something happens to the monsters."

"And what if there are monster guards and they see that without reason we're getting murdered while human soldiers doesn't interfere?" Alter asked. Geno looked down thoughtful for a second. Many thoughts passed through his mind and memories from narrations and stories.

"They won't go ahead immediately and show violence. They'll possibly try to frame us." Geno finally replied. Alter suddenly chuckled and pat Geno's head 2 times.

"Ya said you're not really educated? But your mind is fast. I'm sure you'll learn new things very quickly." He said. Geno rubbed the back of his head and chuckled. "I see that the more we talk, the less ya pay unnecessary attention to the humans. That's good. And even if I said that we need to observe and be careful, don't worry I'm watching."

"Thanks A- Guido!" Geno said and looked down. They both stayed silent for a minute or so. Geno was observing around less nervous and more curious. So many new things, if he wasn't counting the humans and their hostility in, it was a whole new experience. Even the pirate ship and the pirate island were interesting experiences.

God he wasn't getting enough observing and admiring all the new things he was seeing. From the little pathetic village he spended the biggest part of his life to such adventure, oh new horizons were opened for him! The world was much bigger than Geno had thought and he felt the desire to see it all.

"Ya like the environment a little bit?" Alter interrupted him who was enjoying Geno's interest. But he didn't expect it when Geno hugged his arm while still walking.

"It's magical. It's just..." And he revealed all of his thoughts from a while ago. Alter hummed with a calm smile.

"I'm glad." He said looking down. His expression seemed to turn melancholic and thoughtful a little. Geno saw that.

"Is something wrong... Guido?" He asked. Alter didn't say anything for a moment. He looked up and after some seconds again ahead, still smiling.

"I've thought about something we talked a few days ago. Back to that island where I got hitted by the stone..." Geno wondered for a moment why Alter didn't say it just pirate island but then he remembered that humans have not only eyes, but also ears.

If by any chance they were hearing even the word pirate coming out of their mouths, humans had it for nothing to suspect they had connections with piracy even without stronger proofs. Everyone that helped in the mission had make it clear, nothing must betray they're in piracy- well, Alter is.

"... What didja think?" Geno asked after a pause. Alter sighed.

"Remember a deal we made there?" He asked. Geno didn't say anything, he waited to hear him.

"... It's time you hear."

"Hear what?"

"... About my family." Alter finally said. Geno's eyesocket widened up.

"Are you sure?"

"While preparing for the mission, I also thought about that, yes. I prepared myself to speak. It's time ya know some more about me."

"You're... ready you mean?" Geno asked.

"Yes..." Alter said nodding and smiled wider to his friend. And while the 2 friends were walking, Alter started narrating his life with his family.

??? POV:
-

Weeell weeell weeell~

Look who's here~

Long time no see...

Who knew I would see you in this filthy human pool called humans' side of Lisbon after years~

Hee hee hee~

Well then~

Good luck. Because you'll need it. Humans are way too easy for you to handle, right? How about the monster guards? Hopefully you know they're here.

I don't know for what reason
you're here. I don't care who
your little sidekick is.

But there's something...
off with both of you.

I sense on you something... not you. Something I don't remember you having. You feel... stronger.

...

Oooh~

I think I know~

Did you kill and I sense LV in ya?

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA

Whatever it is, it gives you a stronger aura. While your little sidekick... they are a far more interesting case.

There's something I haven't sense in a long time. And I've sense it only. in. human. souls.

Hee hee hee~

Can't wait to see what will you
do, as long as you 2 stay in this
hellhole called Lisbon~

I would speak some more and monologue, maybe reveal some more things.

But no one can have everything ready. Am I wrong maybe (y/n)?

What? You thought I didn't know you can see what's going on. Well then, I won't spoil the surprise~ Have fun being miserable while waiting for the answers.

And...

See you around Alter~

Or should I rather say like I used to,

💣✉️  ♌♓♑  ♌◻️🔳♦️♒♏◻️.

https://youtu.be/pPneFtVcSKY

No one's POV:
-

The black flower dissappeared under the ground.

2687 words

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