Kris gasped deeply when his eyes opened again. Lay and Toshiro were standing over him with concerned looks. "Are you alright? You kept muttering in your sleep, and when we came to check on you, you broke out in a sweat. You were tossing and turning as well, as if you were fighting someone in your sleep..." Toshiro said and felt Kris's forehead to check for a fever.

"What did I say?", Kris asked.

"Misu.... At least, that's all I could decipher. You were speaking a mixture of Chinese and Korean. My Korean isn't the best, and my Chinese is really bad, so it was confusing. From the way you spoke though, I figured Misu must be a name. Is he family?", Toshi asked curiously.

Kris had caught his breath now, so he stayed quiet. He knew better than to talk more than necessary about himself to strangers. "I don't want to talk about it", he simply said, hoping the boy would get the message to not ask questions about his personal life. After that, he got up and looked around. "Has the dust storm passed? I need to get home", Kris said.

Toshi shook his head,"Dust storms can last a week out here. There's no telling when it'll really stop, but with all the little barriers around the village none of that gets in, so we'll all be fine as long as we stay in the village. I know the chief said you could only stay the night here, but I can vouch for you. We don't mind you staying with us. Even though the others wouldn't like it, this place is supposed to be a refuge for all, regardless of the way you look. That was the whole idea behind it all, but I guess people have forgotten that. They're probably just bitter, because you are a citizen of the city that outcast them, and you're a soldier, who does the banishing", he said, then went to tend an old man who had come in last night.

"A week? No, I can't be gone that long. I'll be outed as a deserter. They'll probably have some punishment waiting for me when I get back, for abandoning my duties...", Kris sighed. He wasn't really all that concerned about the punishment. What he was really concerned about was Misu. He'd never left him on his own for more than a few hours before. Already, the little boy must be panicking at least a little bit from him not being with him this morning. Misu was so young, so dependent on him, which made Kris fear more for the boy's wellbeing. He had to get back to him soon. Kris couldn't let Misu die back then when he found him buried between his dead parents beneath rubble, and he couldn't let him die now either. This boy was still his only hope for the future. He's the last glimmer of light in a world of darkness, and Kris would instantly kill anyone that tried to take that from him. After years of military training and service, Kris is a seasoned killer by trade, and has no problem with it anymore when proves necessary. He would fight with every last ounce of his being to protect Misu, no matter the cost.

"Well you certainly can't go back today at the least. There's no way you'll be able see through the storm even with the lighthouse shining", Toshi said and brought Kris a glass of water to keep him calm. He drank the water in one swing, then gave the glass back to the boy. Lay made a few gestures with his hands. "Lay says not to worry. Even if you are thrown out of the city for deserting you saved his life, so you'll always be welcome to stay with us", Toshiro interpreted.

Kris shook his head and frowned,"Don't go on thinking that you owe me anything. I didn't save your life. The snake just wasn't poisonous. All I did was bring you back here", he said.

"Even so, it was still a kind act. You could've just left him out there to be killed by some wild animal while he was unconscious. That has to count for something at least! We would let you stay even if you hadn't helped Lay though anyway. It just isn't right to throw people out on their own, and if the chief doesn't like it then the three of us can be on our way, together", Toshi said with a lot of enthusiasm.

"Hold on, there's no need to go uprooting yourselves just yet. We don't exactly know if I'll be thrown to the wolves yet, and don't you worry about me. I can take care of myself just fine", Kris said and got up from the bed. Toshi opened his mouth to protest, but Lay shook his head. The two watched Kris leave the cabin, then went to the doorway to see where he was going.

Kris went into the chief's cabin, coughing some as dirt whipped about around him on his way there. When he could breathe normally again, he looked up to see a throne made of various colored scrap metal. The chief sat in it with his right leg crossed over the left. He sat truly like a king with his perfect posture, neatly trimmed nails, and hair that seemed completely free from harsh exposure to the elements. The man looked so clean and refined in great contrast to the slightly rusted heap of garbage that he sat upon. "Why have you come? Shouldn't you be well on your way back to your precious utopia by now?", the chief spoke with clear bitterness towards the city.

"There is a dust storm that keeps me here. I can't go back until it clears up, and I'm told that it may not for quite some time. Lay and Toshiro say that I am always welcome to them, but I must ask for your approval to do so too of course. I'm not looking to cause any trouble. I actually would like to get back to my family as soon as possible", Kris pleaded, hoping that the mention of a family might persuade the man into sympathizing.

For a long while, the chief seemed to go off in his own world to contemplate things. When he came back with his verdict he looked down at Kris, who knelt before him as a peasant would to his majesty. "You may stay as long as you work, but you'll be worked hard. If I get so much as an accusation that you've caused trouble you'll be out in a heartbeat. Do you understand?", the chief asked as he leaned in to show Kris he was serious.

Kris nodded with an expressionless face,"I understand.", his voice was toneless, yet that contributed to the overall look of sincerity he seemed to have about him.

"Alright, well you won't be working in the hospital anymore. Someone of your physique and skill set should be put into a more physically demanding line of work. Every morning and evening you'll go out with our hunters and gatherers. They hunt, and search through abandoned houses, if they find any left standing, for useful supplies", the chief explained.

Kris sat silently on his knees, nodding occasionally to show the other he was listening, even though he wasn't. Something in him felt uneasy all of a sudden. Maybe the reality of Misu being all alone for a week had just hit him. He did think about how scared and lonely the boy must feel, and bit his lip for it. That was not what caused his uneasiness though. There was just something in the air that seemed to be different now. He couldn't quite place it.

"Come to the party. You have to meet him Kris, please?"

"Why should I? I don't want to be in his life if you're not in mine."

"You can be in our lives, just not the way you want"

"Then I won't go"

"Grow up! He'll need to know you someday"

"Never. I won't take him. I don't want him"

"Are you that heartless?"

"Ever since you stole mine..."

"Fine. He'll be alright even without you"

"He'll be alright", Kris whispered to himself as his eyes stayed fixed on the floor,"He'll be alright....", he repeated in that same whisper of a voice.