Turbinio

Marroio and Yarrow

Diego stopped talking and looked around, smelling something. You heard the soft clink of Gyro's holster releasing his steel balls.

''Hmm... Smells like coffee...'' Slowly, without realizing it, Diego approached you. ''Are you making coffee? What a pleasant aroma... It hasn't quite got the aroma of Blue Mountain Number One, but it's still really good...''

''Huh? What's your problem? There's no coffee here, only tea.'' Said Gyro, confused by Diego's behavior.

''How strange... '' Diego muttered, as he approached you with his body bent over. He smelled you, and the uncomfortable proximity made you instinctively flinch. "So that's you, miss (Y/N)? That coffee smell...''

''What are you doing, Diego?'' You said, almost wanting to fight with him. ''There's no coffee here, if you want some tea, take a cup and leave!''

You didn't notice how flushed you were. And even if you had noticed, you'd have blamed the Caribbean rum, not Diego. He looked you straight in the eye but in a strange way. So you smelled like coffee? Was that what he meant?

''Mind if I have a cup, Miss (Y/N)?'' He asked.

You wanted to answer, but Johnny did it for you.

''We don't want to travel with you, let's make that clear, Dio. Drink the tea and go to another empty house. The cup is right in front of you.''

Like a dog, Diego began sniffing around the table in search of the glass. He pawed aimlessly across the surface, almost knocking over a couple of cans. You worried and kept watching him from a distance. His blond hair was coiffed and his clothes were clean. His bruises were completely gone, and you were sure it wasn't because of your help. But even without injuries, Diego kept the bandage you had put on him.

''Uh... Could I just ask? Which one can I drink?'' Diego asked without looking at anyone in particular.

''Wich one? There's only one cup there...'' Said Johnny, a little embarrassed.

''Diego... you...'' You couldn't contain yourself. ''Are you okay? You can't see? The others are cans.''

''Can't see?''

In a second, Diego's lost gaze focused directly on you and only you. All that preoccupation seemed to get on his nerves as, with an incredibly deft movement, he caught a fly flying close to him with his hands and soon released it. Seeing this, you realized that there were way too many flies in this house some time ago.

''Give me a break! I can see great!'' Diego kept talking, but you couldn't listen to him.

There were too many flies, so many that you could hardly count them. Gyro had noticed that too. You took advantage of the fact that Diego was concentrating on finding out where his cup of tea was and mumbled something.

''Hey, Gyro, there are too many flies here.''

''Weird, isn't it? They're coming from outside, close the door and I'll close the window before coming more of them.''

You readily agreed. You crossed the room at a certain distance from Diego and approached the door. You smelled a rusty odor of blood and suspected it was coming from the surroundings. But as you stick out one of your bare feet and bump into something furry and sharp, you can do nothing but freeze in panic. You shake your head and watch Gyro and Johnny stare out the window. A huge grizzly bear lay mangled in front of you. Your heart pounded with a single thump. Diego did this? No, impossible. What kind of creature could do such a thing to a bear?

''It's the corpse of a bear! (Y/N), get out of there!'' Gyro shouted. ''How long has it laying there dead?! A human couldn't have done this!''

You took a few seconds to turn around and you were paralyzed. An alligator with long legs, of course. That's what you thought when you saw a huge, reptilian animal screeching and shaking at Diego's torn clothes, which had disappeared. The animal backed away in a zigzag pattern, its long tail flapping and coming inexorably toward you. What was this, anyway? Had Diego transformed? You swore you heard Johnny yell something about it. Was it what they call a stand? Diego was a stand user? There was an evil gleam from the beast's eyes, and between its sharp teeth, you heard a hoarse sound. You were ready to be hit when you found yourself incapacitated by the shock.