He...simple watches the man, smiling slightly. Appearently...fascinated with the man's shadow, Gene's eyes seem to notice a painful realization, as he glances back up between Rose and Kenshin.
"Pleasure meeting you...Kenshin...thank you for joining Ah...as...rude as this sounds, and as inconvinient a time as this comes...I made a promise t'Miss Khaira that'd I'd be a sufficent guide for the Anarouch. I'd like to...quickly propose to both of you...a bit of a...trip, if you will. If you feel like going...wander around. You'll eventually mind a map of the planes, somewhere. Miss Khaira's notice should be up there. Anyway....I trust you both to keep each other company...I'm truely sorry 'bout this, Lady Rose, Sir Kenshin."
Taking a black cloth from his cloak's lining, he puts it over his lower face, and ties it behind his head, looking to all the world...a bandit.
"Desert winds're harsh."-a seemingly valid explaination.
If both of their eyes drift away from the man...then when the two look back where he was...there's nothing but flooring. A glance to where his glass was reveals a white rose, it's tips flushed with red, and a note pinned to one of it's thorns. Oddly enough, the flower seems to be attached to it's roots, Gene's glass now filled with dirt to sustain the plant. The small black note reads in silver inking: "I know you probably have become sick by these...but...this is my way of honoring me with your company, Lady Rose. That Kenshin fellow seems nice...it'd be appreciated if you showed him the same kindness I had glimpsed in you. As for now, farewell." The handwriting is as visually exotic as it's author, seeing as if written by a hand which had never encountered the Common letters before...instead accustomed to more larger words, with interconnected letters. However...you have a feeling it'd still be messy, even if Gene had written in the unknown origin language.
Artwork Copyright © Christopher C. Quigley 2003