She tilted her head "So what can I do for you?" She asked, curious as to why he was in her room.

"You seemed distressed after I said your poem was nice," he said. "But now that I know your are doing better I will take my leave." He stood up then and bowed slightly and made his way towards the door.

She nodded a little, then spoke up "Thank you for being concerned." Then she stood up and walked to her closet, simply staring at the lone black dress, scattered with diamonds and swaying slightly, in perfect harmony with the smoky gray walls of her room, and too long for her, never to be worn again. How beautiful a single rose can be alone in a vase, how wonderful can a single couple be dancing on the floor, how eerie, can a single dress be, torn and ripped, but never worn. She thought to herself, remembering the one night she had worn the dress, on the night her family died. She starred at the dress until down approached, then took it out, with a sickly grin on her face, and set it on her bed, adding the matching shaw and a black veil. She dressed in it and went to town, walking slowly and solemnly down the street, where the crowds seemed to part at the sight of her, awe struck of her silence and amazed that she dare wear black to church. She walked in silent as night and took a seat in the front row, her head bowed and her veil hiding her face. She looked up at the minister, through her veil, with a smile, a knowing smile. He looked right back at her, through her veil, and walked to her "Excuse me, miss, but," He paused for a moment, taking out a tiny silver cross and holding it on her forehead "BE GONE, FOLLOWER OF EVIL, YOU ARE NOT WELCOME HERE!" He screamed then, and most of the people gasped, at least half of them hurried out, apologizing on their ways for leaving. Risa sat calmly, resembling a shadow, so silent and still. She didn't react to his cross or screaming, but starting talking instead, "Forgive me father for I have sinned..." She said quietly, not able to continue, because her words were stopped. She breathed in, sounding if she was going to cry, then opened her mouth, letting a river of blood pour out. The man walked back and mumbled a prayer, then threw the cross at her. It hit her in the forehead and fell to the ground. He stumbled back, grabbed his heart, and screamed. She stood ever so slowly and walked out of the church, a stain of blood on her chin. As soon as she set foot outside the church, the man died. She walked away with the same grin she wore as she looked at him for the first time in fifteen years, repeating what he had said to her once before "We must pay, dear , for all of our sins."

He had barely made it to his room when he heard her walk out. He didn't turn though supposing that she might be doing something that had nothing to do with her. He sat down on his bed thinking, a glaze covering his eyes as he stared around the room with a piercing gaze.

She got home and slammed the front door behind her. Then she walked back to her room. Benjamen came out with a confused look. When he saw her, he didn't say anything, he just froze. She saw for the first time her brother through the eyes of a stranger. She never noticed how menacing he could look when he wanted to. She gave Him a look and his eyes went cold. He gave her a stare and she walked away silently. He sighed and went back to his room, as well. She took a shower and went to bed in an old pair of jeans and an over sized shirt.

Vincent was silent for the most part when he heard her arrive home. There was a cold chill that rose in his spine though it was rare that he really felt temperature.

She woke up to a door slamming, Benjamen's, she thought to herself, rolling her eyes as she walked out into the hall to see a closed door. She went to it and knocked quietly "Benj-" He cut her off "Go away." He said strictly. She didn't pay that any attention, she simply continued, "Benjamen, please, let me come in...you know it always helps...It's okay...can I come in?" She said in a soothing voice, yet a scared tone was lurking near the surface of her mast of silence. She opened the door slowly and stuck her head in. He got angry at that "Don't. Please, Risa, just don't." She smiled softly "I'm here for you, Benny..." She said quietly. Her true scared feelings was showing, her hands were shaking along with her legs. She opened the door a little more, and he started yelling at her "DON'T RISA! I'M WARNING YOU! HEED MY WARNING AND LEAVE!" She simply shook her head back and fourth, walking in. He stood up from his bed and took a few steps toward her. "DON'T MAKE ME HURT YOU, RIS!" He towered over her menacingly. She growled, a low, threatening growl, that wasn't her at all, it was her instincts. He was shocked by that, and slapped her for it. It didn't hurt her but she could feel tears coming to her eyes. He was the only one who had never hit her before then. Her eyes were wide and tears were slowly summer salting down her cheeks. She put her hand on her cheek "I thought I trusted you..." She said, walking out of his room and outside, into the forest. He was frozen in his place with the widest eyes you ever did see. His hand was shaking and he was breathing heavily, too heavily. She didn't know where she was going but she just couldn't stay there. So she continued walking.

Vincent heard something and he rose to his feet and walked into the hallway. He saw Risa disappear down the stairs and became confused. When he reached Benjamin with his wide eyed expression he became even more perplexed. "What happened?" he asked after a moment.

He was dumbfounded and tried to answer, but ended up with gibberish "I went..." He mumbled something inaudible as he tried to continue "for the sword and the..." He was drifting in and out of mumbling and talking nonsense "Monkey and he flew..." The he slowly slowly slowly walked to the door and softly shut it, still holding his hand up. Risa continued walking in the forest until she found herself on the hill, starring at the sunset for answers. She thought she had blacked out for a bit because she didn't remember walking that far, then she noticed tiny crystal snowflakes were falling. They caught in her hair and melted on her face. She shivered, being only in a t-shirt and jeans. So she headed back towards the house, but when she got there, she didn't go inside.

Vincent good see the last faint glimmer of sunset and he let out a sigh. He was tired of this now, this constant confusion. "I should get going," he muttered to himself. He walked down the stairs then and towards the front door but stopped and pondered for a moment.

She finally walked in when she started shaking and saw Vincent near the door. She almost screamed but stopped herself. She looked down, hoping her face would be too shaded for him to see the mark on her cheek. Her shaggy bang fell over her eye as she passed him. She didn't say a word, afriad her voice would give away her fear, but her shaking made it look like she was scared. She walked hurriedly upstairs and got a blanket after changing into a night gown and went down stairs. She wrapped herself it and sat down, starring out the window.

Vincent watched her for a moment and then descended the stairs to leave. He wouldn't take anything this time, not even the horse. He was looking around with a bleak expression on his face. The wind didn't bother him now that he was a little more sure of himself. All the things he'd learned were all an illusion in a way. He felt the wind brush his face but it felt neither warm nor cold at first. Only the breath of what had been lingered and he moved forward towards the wooded area.

She stared at Vincent through the window but didn't do anything to stop him. She simply sat, staring at the snow and him and the trees, not looking at them as individual objects, but as one big picture. She sat for hours, until sunrise, then she walked to her room. She fixed a makeshift cross and hung it on her door, so no one would bother her.

Vincent ignored the sun and kept moving forward. As the grasp on his mind slowly loosened he realized that he could actually tolerate the sun. He laughed to himself in a kind of ironic way as he looked up at the sky.

She lay on her bed, throwing tiny silver crosses at her door, making them stick. She had many of these and when she was finished she grumbled and soon fell asleep.

Vincent stared around him as if he were just born, with the awe of a new comer. He would go back soon he finalized but not until he was done gawking at the beauty of nature.

She woke up full of fright to someone banging on her door. She screamed go away and threw something at the door. She had no idea what it was, because she was under her blanket, but she supposed it was her glass, because of the shattering sound when it hit the door. It was Benjamen banging on her door. "Let me in! Take off this cross!" She didn't answer. The silence thickened and soon he walked away with an angry sigh.

Vincent started back towards the house feeling rather uneasy about something. He went in through the door and mounted the steps. He saw that Ben was angry but he made no move to ask why. "Risa," he called sounding slightly more energetic and the sun streaming through the window to touch the strong yet delicate features on his face.

She stared at her door, a thick fog swirled around in her mind. She knew that voice, but she didn't. It was an odd feeling, so she answered this time "...Yes?" She asked, half conscious.

He was at a loss for words now as if trapped by his own thoughts though he was freed from the essential enslavement of the propaganda. "I'm in the sun, come see me," he said excited, sounding more normal.

She didn't say anything, simply stuck her head out the door. When she saw who it was she smiled "Wow..." She said, stunned.

He looked extremely happy now. "Come on let's go outside," he pleaded as the sun seemed to glimmer off of his pale skin.

She laughed nervously "Well now is not the best time for me to leave my room...can I get a rain check on that?" She didn't want to sound mean, but she knew she couldn't go out without being seen by Benjamen.

Vincent looked a bit disappointed and he just nodded. "All right," he said after a moment. "I'll leave you be." He started walking away down the hall then and towards the stairs.

She sighed "N-no...wait Vincent..." She didn't have any reason for him to come back but she didn't want him to leave.