Tenth Spark:
[In her dark, damp cell, Dia is chained to a wall and is shouting curses at the guard]
Guard: Quiet or I’ll kill you now!
Dia: [clamps her mouth shut] [thinking] Best to be quiet now. [pause in thought] I hope someone helps me soon… I don’t want to die… DAMN IT! I only wanted to go shopping! And I didn’t even leave the ship! This is so unfair! I am going to be in SOOOOOO much trouble! Captain’s gonna KILL ME. [sighs out loud, then continues her inner monologue] That is, if Eduardo doesn’t do that first…
Guard: Hmph. It seems like you’re being freed.
Dia: Wait, what?
Guard: Didn’t you hear me? Some hotshot just paid for your bail.
Dia: [jaw drops as the guard unlocks her handcuffs] You’re serious?!
Guard: I’m assuming you don’t want to leave.
Dia: Nonononononononono! [runs out of the jail] See ya!
~*~
[Dia runs out the jailhouse and sees Eduardo paying off the guard out front and tackle-hugs him to the ground]
Dia: OH MY GOD! Thank you so, so, so, SO much!!!!!
Eduardo: Get offa me!
Dia: [laughs a bit then gets off of him] You have NO idea how grateful I am!
Eduardo: If you’re grateful, DON’T MAKE ME BAIL YOU OUT AGAIN!!!! [smacks her on the head]
Dia: Q^Q You didn’t have to hit me!
Eduardo: You shouldn’t have let yourself get caught!
Dia: It’s not my fault! I stayed on the ship like ordered and they found me and cornered me!
[Eduardo raises his hand as if to smack her again, but instead he pats her on the head]
Eduardo: You had everyone worried sick. [takes her hand]
Dia: You mean I had you worried sick.
Eduardo: [looks away blushing] Don’t push your luck.
~*~
[Next morning, as everyone else is leaving for last-minute errands]
Morgan: Eduardo, take Dia with you today.
Eduardo: May I ask why?
Morgan: You’re the best at keeping her safe, of course! Besides, I’m sure that she doesn’t want to be cooped up on this ship while we are all out around town!
Dia: Thank you, Captain!
Morgan: No problem! Just make sure that you try not to get caught.
Dia: No problem!
~*~
[Eduardo and Dia are walking around the busy market. Dia looks thrilled while Eduardo is acting like he’s being tortured. Suddenly, Dia stops at a jewelry stand]
Dia: Hey! Look at this! [drags Eduardo over]
Eduardo: What-
[Dia points at a necklace with a silver chain and a single, modest black spherical pendant]
Dia: This! It’s beautiful.
Eduardo: …
Dia: [digging through her purse] Come on, come one. I’ve GOT to have enough…
[She throws her hands in the air in frustration as she realizes she doesn’t have enough]
Dia: Darn it! [gets an idea and looks at Eduardo, pleading] Please.
Eduardo: Yeah right. I’m not the nice guy you think I am.
Dia: Please?
Eduardo: If you wanted it, you shouldn’t have bought that candy earlier.
Dia: But-but-!
Eduardo: Is there anything else since you can’t buy that?
Dia: No, not really…
Eduardo: Then let’s get going. The others are waiting. [starts to leave]
Dia: [takes his hand] Hey, wait! There’s still something I have to show you! [runs off with him in tow]
Eduardo: Where are you-
[Dia turns down a narrow alleyway which opens to a beautiful, green hill with a vista overlooking the harbor]
Dia: Here!
Eduardo: [jaw drops] How did you find this?
Dia: When I was running from the military, I turned down that alley and found myself here. [pause] It’s very peaceful, isn’t it?
Eduardo: Why did you drag me here?
Dia: You were talking in your sleep last night and I overhead you talking about some hill overlooking the sea. [smiles softly] I thought that since you said that, you’d like this.
Eduardo: … You are something. [pats her head] And it’s not the hill that I remember as a kid, but it’s close enough. [pulls her close and kisses her on the cheek] Thank you, Dia.
~*~
[At dinner]
Dia: [thinking] Once again, Eduardo’s skipping a meal again. Grrr… I wonder where he is this time. This is really annoying. Doesn’t he know it’s bad for his health to keep missing meals?!
Thomas: D-Dia?
Dia: [snaps at him] What?
Thomas: Er, are you okay?
Dia: Yeah, why?
Thomas: You’re glowering…
Dia: Am I?
Thomas: Yeah… did something happen with Eduardo?
Dia: Not exactly. I’m just frustrated-
Thomas: [muttering] Furious.
Dia: [not noticing] with him not showing up for meals. He’s going to get sick one of these days.
[Eduardo appears and hits Dia on the back of the head]
Eduardo: Who’s going to get sick?
Dia: S-sorry for underestimating you…
Eduardo: [smiles] Good girl.
Dia: TT.TT [thinking] Why does talk to me as if I’m a dog?!
Eduardo: You don’t have to worry about me. I had to run some extra errands. [sits down across form her]
Dia: Oh. What for?
Eduardo: None of your business.
Dia: -3- So secretive.
Eduardo: You have your secrets, I have mine.
Dia: Well, at least you made it.
Eduardo: As if I’d miss Nathan’s cooking.
Dia: Aha! So true! [holds up her empty plate] Hey, Nate! Can I have seconds, please?
Nathan: [smirks] ‘Least you eat well. [takes her plate and sets down a full plate in font of Eduardo] Glad you could make it, Eduardo.
Eduardo: Yeah. [begins eating]
[As he turns away to ask Nathan for something, Dia quickly snatches up some food from his plate without him noticing]
Eduardo: Thanks. [turns back] Hey, where’d- [death glares Dia] Diaaaaaaaaaaa….
Dia: [wipes her mouth] What?
Eduardo: Don’t act innocent! [pulls out his gun] I’ve told you time and time again NOT TO TAKE MY FOOD!
Dia: [crosses her arms and looks away] I did no such thing! And why would I? Nate’s getting me seconds!
Eduardo: [puts the gun to her head] Truth. Now.
Dia: Eeeep! Okayokayokayokayokayokay! All I did was take a bite! [whimpering] It was too tempting…
Eduardo: You… [facepalm] You make me want to kill you.
Dia: But you could never do that. I’m your adorable and loveable roommate, after all.
Eduardo: I wouldn’t agree with you on that. You’re my irritating and childish roommate whom I wish to kill a lot.
Dia: QoQ Eduardo!!!! Hmph! [stands up and turns around] If we’re on the topic of sharing our feelings, you’re my sadistic and cold-blooded co-worker who enjoys imposing cruel and unusual punishments upon people.
Eduardo: You’re a simple minded and naïve child with a penchant for creating chaos.
Dia: You’re a heartless and evil man.
Eduardo: Better than being an immature little brat.
Dia: [turns around] HEY! At least I’m not a merciless killing machine!
Eduardo: [stands up and slams his hands on the table] Merciless killing machine?! Is that what you think I am?!
Dia: You sure seem like it!
Nathan: [hits the two of them on the head with the end of his weapon] Enough. Aren’t the two of you supposed to be really close?
[Dia and Eduardo stop yelling at each other for a moment, and just stare each other down. After a second, Dia turns around in a huff and crosses her arms]
Dia: You’re an idiot.
[Eduardo turns around and puts his back to hers]
Eduardo: I’d say the same about you.
Thomas: They’re going to start again!!! Christopher! Do something!
[Dia and Eduardo’s hands intertwine]
Dia: So, would this be considered… a truce?
Eduardo: If you want it to be.
Dia: Alright then. [walks away]
[Eduardo smirks and follows after her]
Thomas: … What just happened?
TO BE CONTINUED
