"That was very nice, yes." Ilias agreed.

"Oh, so, what do you like to eat?" he asked, changing the subject.

"Anything in specific?" he asked further.

"Or any number of things?" he went on.

"Our cafeteria is pretty well-stocked." he chuckled. "I'm sure they'll have what you'd like."

"Makes sense." Ilias responded.

"And sushi, huh?" he asked. "Our cafeteria does that, yep." he assured her.

The two then made their way to the cafeteria, where she was greeted by a rather large room, that was empty, save for the night staff working at the counter. All 1 of them. They approached him, and he smiled.

"What'll y'have?" he asked.

"Triple-berry smoothie for me." Ilias said.

"Sushi, if you have it, please." Yuki answered.

"Any kind you like?" the man asked her. "Or just go for a variety platter?"

The man nodded in response.

"You got it." he replied.

And, after about 10 minutes, he returned with a platter of about 30 sushi rolls, and Yuki could see that there were at least 5 different types within. He also had a large smoothie for Ilias.

"Anything else?" he asked.

"I'm good." Ilias responded.

"Somethin' to drink for you?" he then asked Yuki.

"I admit, I have had some questions on my mind." Ilias admitted.

"But the big one would be... how you got involved with Kaia's theatre... troupe? Company? Whatever you wish to call it." he said.

"How'd you become such a thespian?" he asked with a light chuckle.

"Because, thinking about it, I now remember you in some of the shows I've seen in France." he recalled.

"Wonderful work."

"Oh... I... I see." Ilias responded.

"Well, if it's any consolation, neither he, nor anyone else that's gone missing, is dead." he told her.

"Kaia's scrying proves it. They're still there at the building. We just don't know what, exactly, happened." he continued.

"And we'll find out. I promise." he said further.

"I'd imagine the man that took you in is very nice, too." he went on. "But that goes without saying, too. He took you in, as you said. Already that puts him in the 'very nice' category."

Almost instantly, Yuki saw... a strange, but quick, succession of emotions in Ilias' eyes.

There was anger... straight anger... from when she told him the man had taken her in just to scare off creditors because he was deep in debt. Then came a look of realisation when the 'grew to be' part she said kicked in. Then there was a little confusion, and some unsureness, before there was a bit of an ambiguous look to his eyes, and he cleared his throat slightly.

"I... ah, I see." he said.

"Well... so long as he treats you well and... doesn't keep you in to be little more than a scare tactic." he said further, venom in his tone.

"..." he was then silent for a moment, before sighing heavily.

"I'm sorry." he apologised. "Hearing about those that aren't human being used because of what they are is... a hot-button topic for me."

Ilias nodded, and had calmed down a lot. He still thought it was sad that Yuki had been happy to just have a use, to do something, even if it meant that one that had taken her in was just using her. But he could understand it. He'd felt the same way in the past. Or a similar way, anyway. Regardless, he took another drink of what he had, and calmed himself down a little more.

"Ah, yeah, I've heard that about Kaia." he said.

"She REALLY has a low tolerance for that kind of discrimination." he commented.

"I need to be careful about my temper flaring." he then said. "It transfers to my snakes a little, and if any of them bite someone... well... yeah." he mumbled, scratching the back of his head.

"She's... a mystery, she is." Ilias agreed.

"But I think part of her hating what she is.. lays in the circumstances on which she was turned." he said.

"I don't know the WHOLE story, and I don't know how much YOU all know, but I think that might be part of it." he went on. "Then again, I don't know the entirety, and I'm no psychologist." he shrugged.

"I just hope she's not being too unhealthy with herself." he then muttered.

"Kiah does worry about that sometimes."

Ilias shook his head in response.

"Better than nothing." he said. "But she really does need to take better care of herself." he agreed.

---

Suddenly, as she approached the cafeteria, she felt... something. Something off. Something... vaguely ominous. She couldn't tell WHAT, exactly, but she then saw a young male sitting at one of the tables.

And she could sense that there was something around him.

Multiple somethings.

Souls.

"Hm?" he muttered when she asked her question.

"Oh! Yeah, yeah I'm havin' a pretty good day, actually." he told her with honest sincerity in his tone, and a smile in his face.

"You're Kaia, right? Kiah's sister?" he asked.

"Have a seat." he offered, before her concern clicked with him, and he quirked an eyebrow.

"...wait, do I look like I'm having a bad day or something...?" he asked her.