A soft breeze was blowing through the buildings as the dark haired girl made her way back toward home. She was one of the few single women who actually dared to live in the heart of downtown Atroe City, for most of them feared the violence and the high crime rate. Dyani had never feared it, and had never tasted it until that... man... had beat her senseless and stolen Riku. Her deep bronze face still showed the faded, yellowing bruise along her left cheekbone, and the knot at the back o fher head attested to his throwing her against the brick wall. That had been the only reason he'd gotten Riku... he'd knocked her out.

Tears began to fill her eyes once more as she thought of him, looking so lost and alone, and with that man that she was certain would beat and starve him...

She coughed violently to cover the fact that her eyes were gathering moisture, and it dispelled the tears, as it always had. Just as she completed the movement, they arrived at their destination: a small conveinience store, with an even smaller apartment on the second floor. She clicked her tongue to Badge and reached into a pocket of her jeans, puling out the key and unlocking the door before she set foot inside, shutting the door behind Badge. Here we are, then. Home.

Badge stared at the girl with his big round brown eyes. He liked her alot. Suddenly his face grew afraid, and saddened, he saw Dionysus's face in this girl's. He missed Dionysus so much.

Badge shook his curly head. This time when he looked up at Dyani he saw Dyani and not Dionysus. As Dyani began walking after her. As they made their way downtown Bdge didn't leave Dyani's side for even a second. When they got to the house he waited a moment on the fron step and then shook himself and his paws so that he wouldn't get too much dirt inside. Then he gladly followed her inside. It wasn't huge but to him it was beautiful especially compared to the old broken down shack he had been living in. Badge smiled inside, no he gleamed like a newborn star. Badge was finally where he belonged, home. With a gleeful bark Badge jumped up and put his front paws on Dyani's legs. Then he looked up and his brown eyes met hers. The soft, warm look he gave her was something no one could ever forget, it was a look of thanks and a look of love, one look only Badge could give.

Badge.....

You may not be by my side
But I will always be by yours..

Dyani's smile lit her face as Badge propped himself up on her thighs, and this time it was genuine, actually happy for this instant. She ruffled his ears and kissed his muddy head before turning to grab some canned dog food off a shelf before heading upstairs to the apartment. Badge would have free run of both floors, but the upstairs would be where he'd sleep at night, always near her so she wouldn't have to be alone.

It was only a two-room apartment, with one room serving as kitchen and laundry room giving way to the other which served as a bedroom with a tiny bathroom attached on the side.

She'd gotten rid of the bed Riku had slept on the one night he'd been here. It hadn't really been "his", so to speak, but she couldn't bear to look at it. So she pulled out a brand new bed, large enough to fit Badge's frame, and slid it up beside her own bed, rummaging through her laundry pile and dropping a thin, ragged t-shirt inside the bed to make it smell of her scent. This would make Badge feel more at home. Next, she set to work about supper, opening both cans of food and dumping them into a plastic bowl, which she set on the floor, all silently.