Where Geno will once more end up to the monster afterlife and won't stay alone for long as he will soon have a sad encounter.

No one's POV:
-

2 minutes before the disaster...

Cursing beneath his teeth, Geno walked through the corridors of the ship with arms wrapped around himself and a pouty hot face. Why was he even bothered? Why get worked up over that fool's words?

"Stupid, idiot..." He murmured, not sure if he was cursing Reaper or himself at this point.

He suddenly stopped and looked around. His eyesocket stopped at the door of the medbay. It was slightly opened. He peeked inside and saw Aldo as he was bandaging Ramirez' right arm. Aaah yes, still damaged badly after beating the crap out of him. Aldo was singing lowly a melody, focused on bandaging and the doctor... well...

It was unclear in that moment if he was alive, sleeping or Fallen Down. His head was lowered, towards the floor, his limbs seemed way too relaxed, as if with no bones in them. Upon further observation however Geno saw his chest so very slowly and lowly going up and down, breathing. Still alive then.

Good. He deserves to be like that and you did very little.

It was the thought that would have prevailed in Geno's skull if he didn't have a literal spill of soul from Reaper about his past and a little bit of Ramirez. Or if he wasn't recognising himself that he had lost control of himself upon their duel and he didn't grasp it back.

Sure Ramirez had make him lose his temper. But they were meant to be fighting, not trying to kill each other. Even if the dog wanted to, he wouldn't go for the kill... at least Geno wanted to think of that.

He suddenly flinched, stepped back and hid behind a corner. He didn't know why he was hiding. But he watched as Aldo was exiting in a hurry to do who knows what. Against any thought, the small skeleton approached again the medbay and entered.

1 minute before the disaster...

His eyesocket scanned the room, all familiar and with not any obvious change. Then he looked at Ramirez.

He hadn't moved an inch, nor did he seem to understand that somebody else had entered the medbay. Very slowly and hesitantly Geno approached and stood in front of him. Even then the other didn't even look at the small skeleton. A few seconds later Geno decided to 'test the waters'.

"... Andréees?" He started. He had learned already, being told before, he hated being referred by any of his names, by anyone. He was responding to Andrés only by Reaper and to Leandro by Aldo.

Nothing.

Ramirez kept being motionless.

Geno then waved his hand in front of the Alsatian's face.

Still nothing.

Was he sleeping with eyes open???

At this point the small skeleton could simply stop whatever he was doing and leave. He looked behind him, considering actually walking away.

"Per què vas haver de marxar?"

Geno flinched and turned around. Ramirez had just spoken. Though he was still sitting with head lowered and having a plain, seemingly soulless expression, he had clearly started breathing faster and each inhale was getting longer. Geno stepped back just to be safe, not certain of what would happen next.

"... Dogface?"

"Per què... Per què... Per què..."

He repeated the same words many times, gradually talking faster and faster. Geno took one more step back even more concerned. But he felt becoming even more white from shock and panic when the Alsatian started gripping his previously motionless arms to hug himself tightly. So tightly that his claws started digging the arms and shoulders, scratching and bleeding himself, opening wounds that were previously closed and taken care of.

"Oh crap!" Geno was ready to really start running, find Aldo or somebody else to help.

But the panic started causing him other thoughts of concern. What if calling for help was going to make him waste time and Ramirez was injuring himself worse? It wasn't like the small skeleton cared or not in the moment if the doctor would die.

But if that actually happened, perhaps he would be blamed, that he had his involvement on making things worse while the doctor was vulnerable. And he preffered to avoid such. Also it wasn't like he could run away without leaving a trace. Or managing to stay chill and not give himself away by acting aloof.

The half-siren looked around the medbay, quickly checking to see if there were bandages. Not seeing any on clear sight slightly caused him more panic and instictively rushed for Ramirez as he was falling forward. At the very last second Geno managed to support him, being strong and all that and tried to adjust him to sit back.

"No... No... No..."

"Come on dogface! Stay still and don't. Fall!" Geno whispered frustrated as he pushed back the other monster by the shoulders, then pressed one hand on his forehead to push the head back.

And then they hit him.

Like a tsunami, they hit him in his skull loudly, or like boulders falling on him. Screams, cries, music, songs, conversations, laughter, childish giggles, lament, tears, the sound of metal swinging and stabbing...

Geno fell backwards pressing the sides of his skull, shaking it left and right. He groaned from the skullache. He was so surprised and dizzy, he never heard the chair creaking as if somebody got up, the steps that approached him, the loud evil growl being heard above him.

Only when he felt a hand and claws gripping him by the neck Geno opened eyesockets and looked forward. At an enraged and shocked Ramirez, bleeding from arms and mouth, his good eye twitching. The small skeleton started flailing his legs and gripping with his hands the one of the dog holding him by his fragile neck, trying to free himself.

"How much did you see?" The Alsatian asked with a low dangerous voice. Geno wasn't given not even 2 seconds to try and say anything and Ramirez gripped his neck even more tightly. The skeleton only let out a choking sound. "HOW MUCH?! WILL YOU EVER BE SATISFIED WITH POKING IN THE PAST OF OTHERS?!"

"Ez... nuen nahi..." Geno only managed to say before letting another choked sound, from pain this time as he clearly heard his neck slightly cracking from Ramirez' grip.

"Bullsh*t. Since you so badly like to mess around with me and my past, how about you go see more of it IN THE AFTERLIFE AND STAY THERE?!"

5 seconds.

On the first second Geno prevented to see the doctor's eye changing from black to an intensive magenta, then dark purple, then what looked like maroon, ending up to crimson. Even behind the blind eye, the whole sclera had turned the same colors as the still good eye.

On the second one, he saw himself flying at inhuman speed towards the wall. He collided against it loudly. He heard more of his bones cracking and the weak gasp he prevented to let out before ending up on the floor with a messy thud, wood against bones, landing on a strange laying position.

On the last of those 5 seconds he prevented to see Ramirez' feet approaching him by a few steps, then another pair of tall legs dressed in familiar black trousers walking towards the dog. The doctor's feet walked backwards, then stumbled and fell on the floor too.

Geno couldn't hear well anymore. Only one word he managed to hear, from Alter's mouth screaming in terror and anger.

"GENO!"

The familiar but not welcoming darkness swallowed him whole.

~

The night was windy with no clouds on sight. The moon's unnatural purple color was gleaming above the waters. She watched from the window of her room sitting on the sill thoughtful. Minutes of thinking later she caught suddenly movement somewhere on the beach.

She couldn't figure out who it was, but from the movement she guessed that was a woman. She stayed motionless and focused, watching that stranger walking, then looked around. She saw her(?) letting something she was previously holding fall on the sand.

And then, much to her surprise, she saw the stranger waving towards her direction! But after that, she simply walked away, taking the same direction she had come. She waited some more and after minutes of nothing, she went to the beach, where the stranger was a while ago.

She memorised where was the object that had fallen from the other's hand. And she saw it. There was a small bag, commonly used for gold. After scanning her environment and sensing that no one was around, she picked the bag and opened it.

Inside she didn't find gold. But a pebble and a paper. She let the pebble fall, presumably put in the bag to add weight and not fly away from the wind and held the paper in her hands. Words were written on it. A letter.

I figured you wouldn't be sleeping. The past won't leave you alone, right?
Now to the main theme of this letter.

This is not a Fate in which you're obligated get tied to. It is not your problem and responsibility. But you could be a great, important help. The mermaids of your homeland knew and were foretold of what was to come, what is to come in a month. The world needs a savior. And that savior needs all possible support and lessons until he reaches his final destiny, where he will have to fend for himself alone. I'll be on my way in a week to find him, Geno, a name which you're certainly familiar with. In a week, you will see me back on the beach I let this letter for you. Make your decision. If I see you waiting, I'll know you're tagging along. If I don't it will be understandable.

Don't come with me if you don't desire to risk your life. Because if you follow on Geno's journey, there will be great dangers. Far bigger than the ones you face with the humans that bother monster kind. But if you feel like there are ones worthy enough to fight for the salvation of the world, do it for them. I direct this letter to you because your powers could be of great use. But perhaps, you might find other important reasons to follow this journey. Answers in questions of yours.

Good night
Echo, the Amber-eyed witch

She returned back inside the house thoughtful, clenching the letter in her hand.

~

"Uuugh..." Geno did as he slowly opened eyesocket and sat up holding the side of his skull. All he saw was darkness. After a few seconds of attempting to look around, he fell backwards and groaned. "IT HAS STOPPED BEING TERRIFYING ENDIN' UP IN HERE SOME TIME NOW!" He complained as he shut his eyesocket. "Damn you dogface!" He sighed. "... The only thing I fear about this place after so many times in here is the chance about whether or not comin' back to life-."

"YAAAY! You're awake, you're awake!"

"Aaah yeah. And lil' dead kids." Geno sat up sharply and snapped his head to look behind him, the very next moment standing up abruptly and backing away.

A white blobby mass of unknown material was seen approaching him at a good enough pace. Having bad experience from his interaction with Samael, Geno didn't want to have any convo with any more dead children. Especially when they didn't look like anything familiar.

"Wait, where are you going?!" The blob asked.

"OOOH STAAARS NAAAH! Stop followin' me!" The small skeleton yelped, making sure to keep a safe distance from the other.

"What did I do wrong?!" The blob asked with a genuinely confused tone. Geno didn't realise that in the moment.

"Listen, whatever you are supposed to be, I want nothin' to do with ya!" Geno turned around and started running. "NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE..." He repeated about 10 more times before he turned to look behind him and see how far away he was from the blob. "... Nope?"

It had stopped following him, now standing still. Geno stood on guard waiting for anything to happen. But then... he heard the other crying. It was a little incoprehensible and unstable, but the sobs and hiccups were recognisable enough.

"It's not my fault I'm this way... I promise, I'm a good boy, not bad... I don't understand what am I doing wrong... Why does my illness have to make everyone avoid me? I'm a good boy..." It said between the sobs. Geno had started feeling bad, having a more calm mind to understand the pain and complain of the blobby boy.

Especially that last sentence. Despite he despised feeling empathetic again, that was a question he had done to himself probably countless of times in the past, when a kid himself. Being overlooked or stared at with fear and disgust from the human villagers.

He stared at the blob for some more, debating whether or not approaching. Cursing silently beneath his teeth, Geno decided that this would be the second and last time he was trusting a dead child, if the one many steps away from him actually was and not pretending.

"... Hey." He called quietly. The blob seemed to flinch. It wasn't sure if it turned around or was already staring at Geno's direction.

"... What did I wrong before? Why aren't you avoiding me now?" It asked.

"I mean..." The small skeleton looked away awkward trying to find his words. "... I've seen monster essences before roaming around here and they all look... well... like somethin'." He started.

"Familiar?" The blob asked.

"Yeah. And you... don't look exactly like anythin'." Pause of a few seconds befell the 2 before the blob gasped and what looked like a faint mouth appeared for a moment.

"Oh no! I'm so sorry! It happens sometimes and I don't keep under control the form of my body! Or, of my essence inspired by my alive body... But I can fix it! It's not that hard for me. Let me just..." In front of Geno's eyesocket the blob got a little taller and thiner, details started being formed, arms and legs, a head... Soon the essence of a fully recognisable monster, slightly shorter than Geno was standing. Staring at him happily. "Did I do it?!" The child asked and started wagging the tail it had. A puppy. Geno nodded.

"Yeah... Better." He said. The other walked a little closer happily. The small skeleton managed not to step back and looked at the paw the puppy presented at him, waiting for a shake. Uncosciously and forgetting that the essences are transparent Geno gave his hand.

"Nice to meet you! My name i-!" The moment their hands came in contact, Geno's passed through the puppy's. Who suddenly gasped and stepped back seeing this. "Wait! You're alive?! Are you one of them?! Mami said to never talk to them, nor approach them!"

"Who's them?" Geno asked.

"They kind of look like us. But with more color and... life. They go around here hurting the essences. I've seen them taking a few of us. I don't know where they're taking them. But they must be very mean! They even tried to take me and mami too! But she's way too fast for them, even when she carries me!"

"Oooh..." Geno thought and gulped. He understood from the descriptions what the little boy meant. But before the puppy could be brought to even more distress, he fell on one knee to present himself even shorter and less threatening. The last thing he needed was first the boy, then the other essences around here go against him or panic. "I ain't with them. I'm just an unfortunate soul that fights for his life. I'm between living and dying..." He stared at the child awkardly seeing it staring at him with a blanc expression and tilted head. "... Uuuh, do ya understand what I'm sayin' or do I sound complicated?" He asked. The puppy suddenly nodded and smiled wagging his tail.

"Yup!" Then he got serious and thoughtful as he walked even closer to Geno and looked at him from top to bottom. And when he focused on the chest, for a moment the small skeleton was ready to start having terrible vibes and a bad feeling from this. Samael was showing a little too much interest for his chest, where his soul was resting, what if the puppy now was-. "Oh wooow! You have the same illness as me!" He suddenly said surprised, then started jumping up and down. "I haven't seen many around here with the illness! They avoided me because of it... and I felt sad... but that doesn't matter now because I found another one as me! I don't have to feel as lonely! Yipeeeee!"

"Poor kid..." Geno clenched his chest as he felt a tight in there, all suspicions vanishing. "So... nobody wanted to be your friend?" He asked with warmth in his voice.

"No. Not even other dead children. Their parents tell them to avoid me. That I can infect them and cause them pain. Aside the wraiths, the ones with my illness can cause harm to the essences... there were some others around here. Outcasts amongst the essences too because of the illness. But they were taken away. By the other essences, the more mean and alive ones!"

"Huh..." Geno observed the puppy boy better. He seemed way too young, extremely young and yet he showed to be observant, with knowledge and understanding beyond his years. He clearly showed to know a lot of what was going on around the monster afterlife, without that stopping him from being happy and cheerful. He was clearly a little yapper and with the right questions and treatment Geno could gain more of his trust and hear a lot from him. "... Uuuh, how old are you?" The small skeleton asked.

"You mean when I died? I was 5." The puppy said, then looked down sad. "... I miss being alive. And papi..." Then he raised head and smiled at Geno. "At least I have mami here and Mister wraith!"

"... Wait a sec-." Geno looked at the puppy more carefully and an ugly shiver ran down his spine as a horrible guess crept in his mind. His mind was fuzzy when he woke up but the more he kept the conversation with the puppy, the more his skull cleared and remembered more details. Just then he had realised that this little boy was a little too familiar... "Did you just... say it's you and your mom in here?" He asked trying to ease himself and think that it could be a big... MASSIVE coincidence what he thought was going on here.

"Yup! Papi had told me first mami preffered me and sissy to live than her when an even smaller puppy! She confirmed to me when I met her in here!"

"Aaah..." Fighting to hold back from shaking and betraying his emotional state, Geno cleared his throat. "Well, kid... what's your name?" He asked looking at the puppy in his empty hollow eyes. The little boy wagged his tail inoccently.

"Papi named me Alejandro, alongside 2 other names, Marvin and Fabián."

"... Last name?"

"... Ummm... hmmm..."

Reasonable. Children learn first their name(s) to respond, then the surname. Geno thought again and tried to ask something else to answer his horrible suspicions.

"... W-Well. What's your... papi's name?" He didn't know if he hoped the puppy has learned his dad's name to answer, because he wasn't sure if he was ready to hear it. Wagging his tail faster and more happy, the puppy giggled.

"Cesar Floriano Gilberto!" He replied.

The breath Geno was holding in was released and he relaxed instantly. So after all that really was a big coincidence. Phe-!

it would have been this way if i didn't want to mess with you. SIKE.

what the puppy ACTUALLY replied:

"Andrés..." It stopped for a moment to think. "... Ah yeah! Leandro Maximiliano!"

"Oooh no..." Geno thought clenching his teeth and fists as his eyesocket was going empty.

3390 words. peace out! *tucks you back to bed, headpats and smeks you*