Stargazer - Segregation

Chapter Twenty-Three - Nadir

It is hot. A scorching day in Europe today. Rory doesn't feel like working at all—he's outside the palace lying on a sun lounger right near the fountain as his sunglasses reflect the harsh sun. Even in Europe during the summer, temperatures are reaching 104 °F.

"You're late." He says as Santino walks by. He waits for a second to look at him.

"So what? We got no mission yet."

He slides his sunglasses up to look into his eyes, giggling. "I am joking. You're the first one to come, actually. The rest is still at home."

"Why aren't you going home?" he asks him with slight confusion written on his face.

Rory's mouth corner descend on each side. He takes his sunglasses back onto his nose. "I am at home."

Santino looks at him for the last time, only to walk back into the castle. Inside, it's pleasant 68 °F, enough to stay instead of going out.

"Oh, welcome, Santino. Are you back already? I expected your return later than the rest."

"Rules are rules." He walks past Alphonse, who seems to notice his change of attitude lately. The more Santino visits his home, the more depressed he gets for some reason, but he has no choice but to come back.

He walks out with his sunglasses, looking at Rory, who is still sizzling in the sun. He walks up to him, takes a bottle of sun milk right above Rory's stomach, squeezing the insides of the bottle at him.

"What in the world?" he growls. "Why did you do that?" and jumps.

"If you're out here in this sun, you should use it."

"Well, thanks, I guess!" he takes his towel to dry off the milk.

"I'm just concerned about you."

"Have you heard anything from Maxim yet?" he looks at him.

"No," he says, looking down. "And honestly, I think we won't be seeing him ever again."

"Why?" asks Rory, still trying to wash off the milk.

"He's either dead, which wouldn't surprise me, or he's somewhere in this world, fighting us."

"If he is, in fact, one of the others. Then I might have to kill him. You know that, right?"

Alphonse takes a small break. He looks at the sky and sighs. "I know, Richard. But I won't be letting it come that far."

A car is approaching from afar. Teresa, Nalani, and Wang are coming back.

"Hello, hello," says Wang happily as he walks out, wearing more than just one sun protection.

"Damn, it's so god damn hot. Summer is a bummer."

"Summer is a bummer?" asks Nalani with her sharp eyes to Wang.

"Yeah. You know, these temperatures are almost unbearable."

"I enjoy them. And looking at Rory," Teresa and the rest move their head to Rory who's clothes are still full of sun milk. "He seems to enjoy the weather as well."

They laugh at him.

"Ha, ha. Very funny," he scoffs.

The three move inside the building to feel the cold breezes running through their clothes.

"This is such a difference. I'm so going to stay in here," Wang closes his eyes and inhales the clean air inside the palace.

Wang has never been a fan of the hot temperatures, and he prefers the colder ones. Wearing many clothes to keep you warm. You can't take enough clothes off to feel a slight bit of coldness during the summer, but you can take on enough to feel warm in winter. He loves winter, the only season he can be inside all day, reading or doing something else. He loves the seasons of holidays.