Where after wandering around monster town some more, Geno and Alter receive unexpected hospitality from their 2 new friends.

No one's POV:

"Thank you very much Grillby! Your food is absolutely delicious!" Alter said as him and Geno were getting out and once they had finished their food. He turned to look at the smaller skeleton. "Didja enjoy?"

"Heaveeen~" Geno said satisfied.

"Excellent. Well. Shall we wander around the town or find the siblings?"

"Wander." Geno said.

"Alright."

At first their walk was smooth. But an hour later the 2 skeletons started getting away from the nicer part of the town, loosing all the nice icons they saw at first. The houses they started seeing were more and more old, destroyed most of them, literal ruins.

There were more beggars and monsters wearing rags and old trimmed clothes. The little children were stuck close to their mothers, looking at the 2 friends with big sad and melancholic eyes. Alter wrapped his arm around Geno's shoulders. He held him closer and Geno didn't try break free.

He couldn't see that reality. His soul was hurting seeing the poverty and pain most monsters had on them. Not even in the village he lived, the poverty wasn't that terrible. Almost everything was if not rich at least decent for a little distant sea village.

And now, in Lisbon, a big city that seemed glorious and rich, a small part of it from the monsters' side was suffering in such way. What if some of them didn't even have a roof to stay underneath? Geno normally shouldn't even care right now, it wasn't his concern. But deep inside he couldn't help it.

"I know I know…" Alter whispered, patting Geno's shoulder gently. The smaller looked up to him. Alter didn't seem shocked, nor sad with whatever was around them. But he didn't seem like he didn't care either. Just looking down a little lost and melancholic perhaps. When he raised head he suddenly stopped.

Geno looked at him confused and then looked ahead. They had stopped 20 steps away from an old little church. If Lord could name it church anymore. It's roof was missing many tiles and the outside walls seemed at many points grey and dirty. The opening was missing a door while the other was broken and hanging, almost ready to fall.

It was too dark to see anything inside. Near the opening another beggar, wearing ragged black clothes was sitting on the dirty ground, with lowered head and hood above it. Geno got stuck closer to Alter and looked again up to him still confused. The taller didn't speak for a minute or so.

"… We'll have to come again here." He suddenly just said chilly and very calmly, whispering almost. He smiled, you couldn't tell if he was staring at the opening of the church or the beggar.

"Why? What is this place Al-?"

"What are you 2 doing here?"

Geno flinched and looked behind him.

Geno's POV:
-

Oh. It's… her. Tefra. What is she doing here? Did she… follow us?

"Oh hi Signorina! We were wandering around with Eugenia and found this side of the town!" Alter replies fast, he doesn't loose his chill. He looks around and stops smiling. "What happened here?" He asks then. Tefra sighs and shakes her head left and right.

"A couple of years ago a strong earthquake caused many houses get destroyed from both sides, human and monster. While for the humans the rebuild of their houses is going well…" She looked up and sighed louder. "… for the monsters a lot has to be done still, despite less houses got destroyed. This is the poorest side of the monster town you entered, more defenceless to any nature threats."

"Aren't the Lords giving any help?" Alter asks again.

"The one side won't help the other. The humans care only for their side and as for the monster Lords, they're having their hands tied to give any support possible to the other monsters. They are most of times forbidden. After what happened 4 years ago…" She said quietly but enough for me to still hear it.

"What happened 4 years ago?" I ask. Tefra doesn't reply immediately. But she turns her head to her left, closes eyes and snorts irritated. Small flames comes out of her nose and I shiver.

"… This is none of your business anyways. Why do you care?" She spats calmly looking now at me. I shiver again with her cold tone. Yikes, whatever happened the situation must have not been well.

"Signorina, we are very sorry if our questions were indiscreet and made you feel annoyed. But allow me to ask, why are you here?" Alter asks placing his hands on my shoulders. The goat Lady doesn't reply immediately. She walks towards us but apparently then passes us. She approached the beggar near the church.

Only then I observed the bag she was carrying. She stops in front of the beggar, gets the bag off her back and very carefully takes something wrapped out of it. The other without even raising his head stretched his hand as if he waited to get that something on his palm.

"Here." Tefra says gently, indeed offering him what she was holding. When she unwraps it, I see a slice of what seemed as a pie!

"Thank you so much dear. God bless you and your loved ones." The beggar says quietly but he sounded genuinely happy. Tefra looked away humming quietly.

"… It's nothing." She just says, walks and stops next to us. She has her hands in her pockets and lowered head.

"Well. If the curiosity and luck guided your steps to the earthquake victims, I come here to offer any help I can…" She looks again ahead. "… Better take our leave. You 2 need to see where you'll be staying for the night. I remember I said that you themselves had to find the guards dormitories. But since we crossed paths again, follow me." She says and keeps walking. I look at Alter who looks back at me. He just nods and we follow Tefra.

No one's POV:
-

As they were taking again the streets they got, Geno observed that the monsters they saw before being sad and melancholic were now, even a little, smiling. In fact seeing Tefra they were bowing down. Geno was looking one at them and one at the goat lady surprised. One little girl came towards her and offered a daisy.

"Thank you for everything you and the other guards do Lady Infernal." She said with her small adorable voice. Tefra accepted the flower silently and just pat gently the girl's head.

"For a monster guard she's treated way too respectfully even for her own kind." Geno thought. "Even that human was pronouncing her and Pyro as Lady and Lord respectfully. How high in class is she actually?"

When they left the poorest part of the monster town finally and returned to the main, the 3 stayed silent for 1 more minute or so. Until Geno couldn't stay silent anymore.

"Lady Te-"

"You can call me Tefra child." She cutted him without turning to look at Geno.

"… Um. Tefra. When you said you had things to do, what were you doing before… coming to help other monsters?" The small skeleton asked.

"Me and my bro were just preparing the house we have when we come for patrolling. We came only a few days ago and there were a lot of things to do. Luckily we finished today and… since I had the time, I went for a walk."

"Ah, alright." Geno just said and didn't ask anything else. After a while he started seeing a group of houses, a little bigger and nicer than all the other he saw before. He kept looking at them interested.

"Nyo ho ho! Welcome friends!" Pyro's loud and warm voice was heard suddenly. The 3 turned to look ahead and saw him walking with big fast steps towards them.

"Sup bro?" Tefra asked, suddenly sounding a little bit more causal and less cold.

"Everything perfect sis!" Pyros replied and stood in front of her. His expression suddenly became more melancholic. "How did it go with the others?" He asked gently. Tefra rolled her eyes and looked away.

"Went fine I guess…"

"Ah, I see… Ok! Well, it's time! For you!" Pyros says pointing to the 2 friends' direction. "To accept the hospitality we give you!" He suddenly started running ahead. Geno lost it for a moment.

"What the-?"

"Better catch up with him." Tefra says with a chill smile and took the same direction Pyros took walking.

"Shall we run?" Geno whispered looking up to Alter. The taller looked at him for a moment unsure too.

"Come on!" Pyro's voice was heard calling them. Alter shrugged his shoulders and laughed. He suddenly picked up Geno and soon the small skeleton was on his shoulders.

"AL-?! GUIDOOO!" Geno yelled as Alter was running ahead. After a minute of running and after seeing where the male energetic goat was, who was stopping at times impatient, they finally stopped in front of a nice wooden house. Alter putted Geno down.

"I could just run!"

"Are you sure you could catch up with us? You're still so young and, you know…" Alter teased.

"I can run faster than you!" Geno pouted.

"Bet?"

"Bet old man!"

"Guys guys!" Pyros stopped the 2 skeletons. Everyone suddenly started laughing.

"Hee hee. Your relationship is adorable." Tefra said suddenly appearing behind Pyros and standing next to him.

"Where did she even come from? Wasn't she behind u-? Ah wait, she can teleport." Geno thought. Or thought he thought.

"Can't you teleport too?" Tefra asked him raising an eyebrow. Geno flinched a little.

"Well, a little." He replied rubbing the back of his head and remembering that most of his attempts to teleport too far away for him so he could get away easier with stealing when still living in the village ended up with him teleporting on irrelevant than where he wanted to be places. "Oof."

"Alright! Now we're all here, welcome skeletons to…" Pyros started very excited. He pointed at the house they stopped. "… ooour house!" He finished. Geno looked from top to bottom the house surprised.

"Wait. We're… staying here?!"

"Of course friends!" Pyros reassured. He climbed up the few stairs, stopped in front of the door, took a key from his pocket and opened. He stepped aside. "You can enter!" The 2 skeletons looked to each other, slightly surprised for a moment before deciding to enter.

The living room wasn't something to say it had opulence but it was decent, nice and friendly. There were 2 couches facing each other and between them a little table. To the right of the room close to the wall was a fireplace. A big, dark green carpet was on the floor, covering all of it.

Another door was in the distance, opposite the entrance one. Stairs leading up, were on the left side of the living room. The 2 friends observed the environment around them interested.

"You like it?" Tefra asked, not really needing to hear the answer though.

"It looks wonderful! Simple but  makes you feel comfortable and welcomed." Alter commented.

"Tefraaa, Pyrooos!" They heard suddenly children's voices from somewhere above. Everyone looked up and saw 3 little adorable heads staring at them from the railings of the 2nd floor. Giggling they dissappeared for a moment only to come down the stairs jumping and running.

"Sup children?" Tefra asked. The 3 little monsters circled her and hugged. There was a piglet and a bear boy and a badger girl. They all seemed about 10 years old.

"Who are these little children?" Alter asked. At exactly that moment the children hid behind Tefra and looked at Alter with wonder and surprise, maybe some fear also.

"Us all monster guards agreed except from trying offer all necessary things to the monsters that lost their houses from the earthquake, to adjust the monster dormitories for hospitalising 1 or 2 families each. Sadly we're not able take all of them."

"So their parents are here in your house too?"

"No. In fact 4 families asked us to take only their children, that it's more important for them to have some comfort and ease."

"Such good parents…" Geno thought smiling gently. But a question hitted him. "Isn't there… an inn to help with that situation too?" He asked then, looking at the children with pity. Tefra sighed.

"There used to be one. But I heard it got destroyed from the earthquake too." They heard a 4th child's voice, answering Geno's question. They all turned to look upstairs. A pink axolotl monster girl, a little bit older than the other children, was getting down the stairs very slowly, supporting herself to the wall. Her eyes were closed.

"Mariah!" Pyros gasped suddenly and approached the axolotl, supporting her to not fall down the stairs. "You had to ask for help! What if you stumble or trip?!"

"I'm careful. Thank you for your concern Pyros." Mariah said smiling lightly.

"Is she blind?" Geno murmured.

"Since birth." Tefra answered without looking at him. The girl's head turned at Geno's direction.

"You brought another guest." She said simply.

"How did she hear me, I was whispering and too far away?!" The skeleton thought surprised. The axolotl suddenly stretched her hand towards him.

"What is she doing?"

"Hold her hand!" Pyros said with a reassuring smile. Geno approached and held gently and hesitantly Maria's hand. She started examining his hand silent and with lowered head, her little fingers scanned Geno's palm. Eventually she raised her head.

"Elemental species. Skeleton. About 4-5 feet tall and… 14 years old?" She asked in the end, tilting her head to the right.

"Goddamnit, is my palm truly so small for the kid to think I'm this young?" Geno thought trying not to pout. "But how did she know about my height?!"

"Almost miele! Eugenia us 16!" Alter said. Now Mariah's head turned to Alter, let go of Geno's hand and approached the taller very slowly. She gestured to hold his hand, which Alter responded immediately. She stayed silent for a few seconds before raising head at him.

"Another skeleton. About 7 feet tall…" She only said, she seemed to think more. "Can you lower a little sir?" She asked. Alter sat down and waited. Mariah slowly hugged him and pressed her ear hole against his chest. "… I can't tell with certaincy when doing this but you're almost definitely under 70's. Your soul is still very healthy." She concluded.

"Ah, that's correct. You're a very clever child." Alter said. "I'm Guido. Nice to meet you Mariah."

"Nice to meet you too Mr. Guido." The young axolotl said.

"But how did you know about our height?" Geno asked surprised, almost not keeping his voice girly.

"It's about how high or low I hear someone's voice. I might not have my vision, but my hearing is sharp, replacing my sight."

"Woah. And what about you guessing we're skeletons?"

"By palpating a hand or a face carefully, I can recognise a monster what kind it is. I can also understand the colors by temperature." She said simply.

"Ah, blind children. So amazing in many ways." Alter said.

"Indeed she's awesome!" Pyros said excited. He turned at the other children that were still stuck close to Tefra. "Don't be afraid children! Signore Guido and his daughter Eugenia will be staying for a little while with us. They're very nice!"

1 hour later…

Soon enough Geno and Alter had break the ice with all little children. Especially Alter. So what if he was tall and seemed distant? He was so cheerful and warm towards them there was no reason to make them feel scared of his presence. During that time the 2 friends had seen their room and adjusted.

It had 2 beds, 2 drawers and a table near the window. Simple but certainly nice, especially the beds when Geno sat on one of them to test. The siblings had to get out again fast, return on patrolling. They asked the 2 skeletons if they wanted to come too.

"Will the kids be fine all alone?" Geno asked.

"We trust Mariah for that. She might be 17 and blind but she proved she can handle the other children when they're alone in the house."

"That's right!" Mariah said from the floor above them.

"If she says so." Geno said shrugging his shoulders. And so, the 4 went out again and they all talked together. Well, actually, it seemed Geno and Pyros were the 3rd and 4th wheel respectively because Alter and Tefra were stuck and talking mostly all the time of the patrolling.

Luckily for them nothing happened to disturb their conversation, because they seemed to enjoy it. The small goat not with the enthusiasm Alter was showing -not real of his character- but even like that she was smiling.

"Aw, they are so nice together." Geno threw the innuendo to see what Pyros would say. The male goat sighed. He seemed rather sad, did he get the innuendo right or…

"It surprises me too see my sister interacting again with someone." He turned to look at Geno. "I don't know how your dad did that but it's nice. How long will you stay in Capital you said?"

"P-Please, just call A- Guido with his name, not 'my dad'…" Geno said looking away. But he quickly turned again to look at Pyros. "As for how long we'll stay, well, guess until we see everything we want to see. Around a week? I dunno."

"Ah that's wonderful…" Pyros said looking again ahead with a thoughtful melancholic smile. They didn't stay silent for more than 10 seconds and Geno couldn't hold back his curiosity.

"What didja mean when you said it was surprising for your sister to… interact again?"

"After what happened 4 years ago…" Pyros said lost looking down. "… We lost many things, us monsters. She… changed…" He suddenly raised again head and sighed. "A-Ah! I'm sorry Eugenia, we don't talk about this. It's just…"

"A very sensitive matter?" Geno completed the phrase after a few seconds of silence.

"For all us monsters…" Pyros said. Geno didn't insist.

"Why do I even really care for a matter that doesn't concern me? They have their problems, I have mine. They're only connected due to the fact that all in Lisbon happened. Well soon to happen because me and Alter haven't even found the witch yet to finish. We've barely started…" He thought and sighed very quietly. "Patience Geno. Don't even think about how fast it'll end. Enjoy your days away from any pirates for now. You, Alter and our new friends…"

3150 words. goodbye smol bembehs *smek smek*