He had not slept well on the floor right behind the doorstep, where he had fallen like felled. Exhausted in a crumpled pile of clothes and limbs. Afraid in a way to go farther. In his dreams ha had been chasing politicians around a park where the trees had exes and started grabbing for him. It had been an uneasy night indeed. As he awoke, stirring the pile into life, one part at a time, it seemed to him like his dream had started earlier last evening. Started in the real world.

It was all strange.

But he knew he had hurt her. Every last bit of his body told him that he had been using his powers. The sand was still around. He smelled its reek, felt its grinding power.

What had he done?

He needed to take a long shower.

The water ran clean down the drain.

The smell lingered.

Xavia stayed in her room, even after Martin had awakened out in the hallway. She had so much going on in her head at the moment that she couldn’t quite think straight… Her form never left the spot in which she had fallen, until she knew she had to try and get back on track.

The day was spent, then, preparing herself for the task ahead of her. She did not leave her room until nightfall, when she had showered and dressed herself, then taken herself to the bar to listen to the local gossip.

Rumor had it that a giant red fellow showed up in that bar, that night, and left her side after a bit of talking. She seemed to have followed after. After spending an absurd amount of time alone with the fellow in her room, a housekeeper saw the girl leave, all bundled up. Then came a ruckus, and agonized screams from outside that seemed silenced all too suddenly.

If one walked into her room, they would see a broken window left in the wake of the red giant, and all of Xavia’s belongings were still in the room. And, of course, the lingering, and this time, beautiful smell of flora.

== Martin continues here ==