[img]http://i.imgur.com/SRQefYG.png[/img] [img]http://i.imgur.com/QLodCtj.png[/img] [b][u]Los Paraisos: The Grande Diamonde: Ground Floor: Storage Room[/u][/b] [b]“DON!”[/b] Josette screamed, skidding across the floor to her brother’s body, lifting him up and cradling him in her arms, her bare legs growing wet with the blood dripping from his wound. Her face was lodged in complete horror as she saw him lie motionless and unresponsive in her arms, the faintest smile on his face unmoving. He wouldn’t answer. “NO!” Josette screamed again. Panic began build and build and build in intensity. She was growing lost to thought and reason, the same as Selan. “Don’t you fucking do this you bastard!” Josette screamed, clutching him tightly in her arms. “Don’t you leave me!” In from the open entrance to the outside corridor was a chorus of fresh voices belonging to more of the Guilders, Moira, Syed, Trixie, Amy and Xandra, who were all shocked into disbelief at the scene in front of them. Trixie automatically dashed to her hero, unable to comprehend what could be happening to him either, before she raced to embrace Estelle and Selan. Amy focused her efforts on using her healing spells to save Don, to ease the danger of his wound and to save his life. If… if it was even possible… if he was too far gone, then… [b]“BIG BRO!!!”[/b] An even louder collection of voices screamed out, and from the corridor spilled an almost unending crowd of men, who all squeezed against each other in a bid to enter the room first, bursting in and dashing as fast as they could to their fallen brother. Cid, Tom, Clive, Jerry, Tom… they and the rest of their bros could do nothing but weep and pray for Don to open his eyes again. To rise up and tell them all he was okay. But he didn’t. Lisette, Lucien and Dylan followed shortly behind, and none of them could raise a voice behind a tiny, hoarse whisper. Dylan raced to join Amy, Josette and the nineteen some bros gathered around Don, unable to believe what was happening. Josette wouldn’t stop screaming. She even had to have Cid and Clive restrain her arms once she started punching his body, screaming and demanding him to wake up and that the game he was playing wasn’t funny. But again, he didn’t wake up. Marcus, Aria and the unconscious Thunderhawk’s arrival into the Grande Diamond’s docking and storage room signalled the reunification of everybody there, along with a handful of women Marcus had found, and released from the dungeons on the seventh floor. No one spoke. They simply fell silent, and with great, laborious effort and difficulty… they left the Grande Diamond’s premises, escorting the women and Don’s body out to the nearest hospital, to no resistance whatsoever. They left the noble mansion behind in eerie quietude and silence, metal gates slamming shut behind. As they left, with their concerns and fears locked onto Don, Amy healing him the entire time, none had noticed and all had forgotten that a particular body had vanished before they had the opportunity to restrain him. Small flickers of wafting violet light wisped and faded into the sky from where the Hunter’s body had once been. --- [center][img]http://i.imgur.com/4DH8JMd.png[/img][/center] [i][center]“I’m sorry, I really am. At the moment… we’ve done all we can. If it wasn’t for your cleric, he’d be dead already, but… well, it’s not good. It’s still touch and go… too early to say. The rest I’m afraid… is up to him. You… all of you are welcome to stay in the hospital but please, if he’s to have a chance he needs some rest. I’ll only allow two of you inside at one time. Is that clear?” “Hey. Hey, Big Sis! Don’t worry! Big Bro will be okay! He’s Big Bro! Big Bro can’t die! He’ll be… he’ll be totally okay! Won’t he?” “Yeah, he’ll be okay, won’t he Supersis? He… he’ll be okay! Cus… cus superheroes don’t die! He’ll be okay!” “Nothing can beat Big Bro!” “He’s the best!” “Yeah!” “Big Bro!” [b]“Big Bro!”[/b] ”Big… *sniffle*… Bro…” “…Don…”[/center][/i] --- [img]http://i.imgur.com/k4gahzg.png[/img] [img]http://i.imgur.com/8mPMSWF.png[/img] [u][b]Los Paraisos: Mercy Hospital: Recovery Ward Corridor[/b][/u] “How is he?” “Still asleep. The doctors don’t know yet, but… we’re keeping hope.” At the end of the Recovery Ward’s Corridor, Thunderhawk and Marcus stood, keeping a short distance away from the rest. Outside of Don’s room were the rest of the man’s bros, all sitting on the edge of their seats with clasped hands and worry filled eyes. Some of the other Guilders were there as well, whilst the others were either around the hospital, or around the resort, tying up loose ends. Helping settle the kidnapped women in a safe building Thunderhawk had rented for them and reuniting Serena with her missing baby Mathias whom Freddie had been looking after. Estelle sat in one of the chairs facing the door to Don’s room, her eyes staring at it. Inside, sitting silently on a chair next to his bed was Josette, who never took her eyes off her brother, lying on the white hospital bed, hooked up with tubes and wires, to a respirator and machine that read his vitals. “How are you?” The silver haired man asked, pushing his spectacles up to look over the Ranger, who was standing, walking and talking again, but who had still yet to return to his normal self. Which was understandable, all things considered, as his chest still suffered the accidental shallow wounds he received from Aria but with the unexpected help of Aria was already on the mend. “Yeah, I’m okay. I’ll be back to normal no time soon.” Although talking with the Wind Mage, his eyes never left the gathering of men outside Don’s room. “I just… have a few questions I’d like to ask, considering I missed the end of everything. We… we won, right?” “We rescued the women that Dumont was holding, yes. I don’t know if that’s all of the women who went missing, or if there’s more… Dumont wasn’t the one doing the actual kidnapping. Another man was doing that, who tried to kidnap Selan as well until Don rescued her, Estelle and Josette… but he managed to slip away after their fight.” Marcus sighed. “I don’t know where, but… any of the women Dumont had, they’re freed. And Dumont won’t be causing anymore trouble either.” “Hmm.” Thunderhawk narrowed his eyes as he considered Marcus’ response. “How did you manage that? I mean… no offense to the guy, but what he did was… reckless. How long do we think we have before we face retaliation? I warned you guys that this mission might spark an international incident, and for the Guild it’d-” “I really don’t think we need to worry about that.” Marcus replied with a smile. “Dumont’s not going to be a problem. I promise.” The ranger turned, looking and frowning at Marcus, before turning away with a sigh. The answer wasn’t entirely satisfactory, but he was too tired and in pain to argue against. If Marcus was right, and that this wouldn’t lead to anything else then… well, good. The missing kidnapper was still a problem, one that he’d make sure to follow up on, but so long as there wouldn’t be any reprisal from Lord Alistair Dumont, then all the better. “Alright then.” Thunderhawk turned back to look once more at the crowd outside Don’s room. “I’m going to stay on at Los Paraisos for a little while. Keep an eye on that building, just to make sure nothing does come. As well as try and find that kidnapper… this… what was his name? Neil Hunter? I’ll try and see if I can find anything on him and catch him. I mean, him still being out in the wind is a massive problem… but if what Estelle’s said is true and Don gave him a pounding to remember then he should hopefully be out of action for a while. I’ll catch the bastard though, mark my words. I think you and the others will be able to carry on with your mission now. I mean… the rest of this could take a while, but your own mission is pretty damn important too, isn’t it?” “Largo’s letter. Rize and Kara… yes.” Marcus replied. “Tiberius said to go to Abatheo after we were finished here. But we won’t be leaving until Don’s okay, of course.” “Yeah, of course,” Thunderhawk scratched the back of his neck and looked at the ground. “Look, I’ve got a favour to ask.” “A favour?” “Aria and Xan. Take them with you?” Thunderhawk glanced back up, looking to Marcus again. He was confused. “Take them with us…? But, why? I thought they were with you, or-” “No, no. I think they belong with you guys.” Thunderhawk curtly replied. “Trust me on this, I think… I think they’ll be better off helping you. For them and you guys.” Marcus smiled and nodded. “Alright. Well, Estelle’s the leader but I don’t think she’d say no. They did help come to her rescue after all, and she does like making new friends. It’s hard for her to say no to or dislike anyone, you know… even people who did leave us.” “Ha.” Thunderhawk laughed. “Don’t make me laugh when I’m still hurt.” The ranger turned to walk away, but stopped before passing the turn, to take another look down the corridor, and at the crowd of bros outside Don’s room once again. “…I hope he makes it. Don… he’s a funny guy.” Marcus smiled. “He is.” “…I’ll see you around, Marcus.” “Take care, Thunderhawk.” The ranger departed.