Taking on a much more serious tone, D'Artigo responds: "Enemies? Whatever gave you that notion? Look at it this way: the fact the you aren't dead means that I'm not your enemy. An enemy would've sucked you dry. I left enough for you to live."

"We're different. Vampires and Lycans are supposed to feud."

Ciridia quickened her pace, putting more distance between her and the group.

"Deal with it. That's life: it sucks."

"Well it doesn't say anything about vampires and fallen angels now, does it? For that's what you really are Erina."

Ciridia felt a deep pain in her heart and tried not to cry, but a tear slipped out.

"Not without my wings. I'm just a dog."

"Wings for an angel or fallen, fangs for a vampire, hair or fur for a lycan... those are all just decorations. It's what you believe you are that defines self."

"I believe I'm some mongrel. That deosn't make me feel better."

"Believe what you will, be what you will. I can't influence you, only advise you. But seriously, sometimes it's better to not be so sad all the time."

"Oh really? What do I have to be happy about?"

She looked back at him.

D'Artigo's exposed eyebrow rises. Giving a small snort, he looks around. "What don't you have to be happy for? You've got Pale Rose, who loves you like a sister, Kitten, who is a loyal companion, you're alive, you've got friends in high and low places..." He shakes his head. "What could you ask for?"

Ciridia sighed.

"Some to actually undertsand me, and not just see the good side of my life."

"Then open up so that one may understand you. You always live so closed to the world. If you live closed, then other will close themselves to you."

"Then come here and talk to me. So others can't hear."

With a small bow acknowledging her, he says to Miv and Jessica. "Ladies, I take my leave. If you will excuse us." And with that, he follows Ciridia, not knowing where she is going.

Ciridia just distance herself even farther from the group, but not far enough that she couldn't see them.

"I'm an orphan, you know that. I've always wondered...if I had been an Angel, would my parents still have left me? Who are they, and do I have siblings? Growing up, I used to imagine I had a twin sister that was an Angel and my parents hadn't left me, but I had been kidnapped. It tore me up when I became a teenager and realized I was just kidding myself."

"Orphan by abandonment eh? Well, I too am an orphan, though by choice of my own. The only way which I could save my family after what happened was to leave, change my name, wear this mask..." D'Artigo's voice trails off, as though remembering events long past.

Snapping back to the present, he says, "How do you know you kid yourself? If you have not found your parents, how do you know the truth?"