These streets hadn't change much since the last time Dark visited, however, he sure as hell had. It was time to drag himself out of the void, after all, he was itching to see what had become of this world.

At the moment he didn't have much to offer, apart from a loyal friendship and bad jokes.. Even if that was top-notch bad jokes. But he knew, there must be somewhere he could find a shelter? Or at the very least, someone that wouldn't mind sharing a roof with him.

Thoughts in mind, he continued to stroll around the city, looking for an opportunity to present itself.

Corrado stubbornly kept smoking the same cigar. He could certainly afford to throw it out and start another one- it was more of the principle of the thing. He said he'd smoke one cigar, then go in and get Martine from where she was having a drink with a client.

But he really had no desire to do so, which meant this cigar was increasing shrinking.

Sighing, he glanced around the streets. Bunches of people heading out to burn money celebrating, while the poor stuck to the shadows of the alleys around them.

Corrado noticed one figure moving through the darkness, but it wasn't clear who it was. Squinting, he tried to get a better picture of who the person was.

For some reason Dark found himself stumbling through the the alleyways, where did he make a wrong turn? Despite his somewhat suggestible nickname, he was not as graceful in the shadows as one might think.

Up in the distance Dark could finally see the avenue getting closer, he was on the right track. But who was that? He could see a man relentlessly smoking his cigar. There was something philosophical about the whole thing, like he had some sort of inner conversation with himself and his smoking habit. As Dark approached the fellow, he raised an eyebrow. 

"Having a heated debate with your cigar, sir? It's seems like a rather one-sided discussion"

Dark smiled and gestured with his hand, as asking for a handshake.

"You can call me Dark, by the way. Pleased to meet you"

Corrado watched as the figure who'd followed the sidewalk past a dark alleyway came into view. Finally deciding that the cigar had nothing left to give, he dropped it and smirked at the man who'd approached him.

"If a cigar begins speaking back to me, I'll know it's nice to retire."

Corrado shook the man's hand.

"Corrado Conti. A pleasure, Dark."

He glanced into the bar, hoping to see Martine emerge. Still nothing.

"And what brings you around these parts, signor? I don't suppose you'd be looking to earn a little money for a quick job?"

Dark gleamed over at the bar, and then back at Mr. Corrado, the gentleman was obviously expecting someone. 

"The pleasure is all mine, Sir. I did indeed come here looking for work"

He paused for a minute.

"However, I've unexpectedly been summoned by the Chiropteran Queen herself - and simply could not resist"

Dark looked at his worn pocket watch, a relic of the past, but still in working condition.

"I'm so sorry to waste your time my friend, but urgency calls. Hopefully we will see each other around, huh? I like your style, Wise Guy"

With a respectful nod to Corrado, and a tip of his hat, Dark turned around and disappeared into the darkness of the alleyways once again.