"Well, did you ever think about what that actually meant when he said that?" David grumbled into the phone as he watched his dog do its business next to a bush. "Seriously, Shandi, the guy just went and did someone else in the bed that was supposed to be yours, and then he wants you to simply let it go as a mistake? That's not a good thing. That's not how people are supposed to act towards their significant others. And if you even<span style="font-style: italic">think</span>about simply accepting it and ignoring it, then I'll come over and slap some sense into you."<br/><br/>Shandi sighed on the other side, and whined. "<span style="font-style: italic">But Louis is so handsome! Handsome men like that can't help themselves, nor can they stop others from coming on to them. And I was gone for two weeks because of work, of course he felt a bit left out and lonely! And really, David, you should see his abs. They're to die for! Even <span style="font-weight: bold">you</span> won't be able to resist tapping that, and don't you deny it! God, those muscles!</span>"<br/><br/>David grit his teeth to keep from groaning, and instead rolled his eyes heavenwards as Shandi went on another tangent about the ever so perfect Louis. The dog was moving on and David followed along the path. This was a hiking route around the city walls that he walked regularly with his dog. The walls wee hung with banners and flags during the tourist season, half the city's teenagers getting a summer job as the costumed characters and militia running around on the wall itself. The plains surrounding Krashvich City were beautiful in their own right, with brush and heather occasionally broken up by the odd tree or outcropping. It was a beautiful place and often visited by picnicking families despite its closeness to the miasma zone.<br/><br/>"<span style="font-style: italic">Did you know that Louis bought me Belgian chocolates this morning to apologise? Like, seriously expensive ones? I mean, isn't such a thing worth overlooking a single mistake? I mean, the girl he was with was hot enough for me to join them if they had just asked.</span>"<br/><br/>"Listen, Shandi, I'm at the point on the trail that's closest to the weird zone thing, I might lose you a little bit." David didn't give her the chance to even protest and instead just hung up right away. While it was true that the miasma sometimes interfered with cell phone reception, David had hung up because he really couldn't stomach one more word about the entire situation. It was the same damn thing every single time with Shandi. The woman never learned, and David was getting tired of trying to help her and then simply ending up picking up the pieces.<br/><br/>He pocketed the cell phone and sighed heavily. "This is why I'm only dating guys, K9." He told the dog. "There is just too much drama when dating wom- what the hell is that thing?"<br/><br/>David frowned and raised one hand to shade his eyes. There was something falling through the air. A bird? Didn't look like any bird that he had ever seen, and the closer it fell the more obvious it became that it wasn't a bird at all. Those were arms and legs flapping about, and David could only gape as the person fell, fell, fell.<br/><br/>And then crash landed.<br/><br/>David and K9 were already running towards the crash site, David pulling out his cell phone as he ran, pressing the emergency services buttons from memory. He released the leash and let the dog run ahead. "K9, seek!" he nearly stumbled when the phone was answered. "Hello? This is going to sound crazy but someone just fell out of the sky right in front of me!"