Isaac & Miria

Isaac Dian (アイザック·ディアン Aizakku Dian) and Miria Harvent (ミリア·ハーヴェント Miria Hāvento) are a nonsensical thief duo that accidentally become complete immortals in November 1930. They are separated four years later in November 1934 when Isaac is incarcerated in Alcatraz, and reunite the same year.

After 1934, the two decide to forgo their thieving ways and do honest work. They find jobs at Fred's Clinic in 1935 working as transporters, and are the targets of a kidnapping scheme that Ladd Russo foils.

They finally realize that they have not aged in 2001, seventy-one years after they drank the immortality elixir.

Appearance
Isaac has bushy brown hair and brown eyes, while Miria has straight blonde hair and brown eyes. The two are famous for their propensity towards outlandish or otherwise abnormal choice of attire - having dressed up as Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb, mummies, a gunslinger and dancing girl, and Charlie Chaplin among other persons.

Personality
Isaac and Miria are both very charismatic and effervescent, and spread happiness upon anyone and everyone they meet without noticing. They have easily made friends with all sorts of people; Isaac managed to befriend the likes of Ladd Russo while in prison. They possess an indomitable will as suggested by their headstrong personalities, in addition to the fact that they have not changed between the 1930s and the 2000s.

While Miria tends to follow Isaac's lead, she does so not out of obligation or deference but simply because she wants to, delighted in how her partner can make her laugh. In fact, in at least one occasion, she takes the lead - when Isaac is trying to psyche himself into rescuing Ennis, Miria grabs his hand and shouts that they "absolutely, positively have to save her" before taking off down the street with Isaac in tow.

When the two are involuntarily separated, Miria cries when she is out of sight and away from others' prying eyes. With her friends, she puts on a brave front and acts like her typically cheerful self - a brave front to be sure, but she is sincere in her efforts and her belief that she'll see Isaac again.

Isaac meanwhile thinks about her constantly, and cannot wait to see her again. He thinks how lucky he is to have someone like Miria "who wants to stay by his side." His conversation with Sham on the train in 1934 hints that Isaac thinks little of himself in comparison to Miria. He asks what reason Sham could possibly have for admiring him -- admiring Miria, he understands perfectly. He admits to Sham that he tried to be brave for Miria's sake on the Flying Pussyfoot but it was all for not. When Sham points out that a coward couldn't have walked so easily around the train, Isaac doesn't seem to believe him, saying that he then must have just borrowed some of Miria's strength.

Judging from his conversation and the two individual inner thoughts, it is clear that both of them think the world of each other--and Isaac thinks that Miria is far more strong and wonderful than he is.

It should be stressed that the above two paragraphs refer to a situation in which Isaac and Miria were involuntarily separated. If they voluntarily chose to separate from each other for any reason, one might assume that they would act differently.

While Isaac and Miria might come across as irritating at times, one must not forget that they are extraordinarily kind people. They risk their lives (not knowing they are immortal) for Czes on the train, and when they slip and fall Isaac and Miria immediately close in around the boy to shield him from any impact, putting him first before themselves. Realizing that he is upset on the rooftop, they call him a very good boy and Isaac vows to protect him. These are only a few examples of their kindness.

On the whole, the couple are wildly impulsive and follow whatever whim has caught their fancy. It should be noted that they are not completely oblivious and certainly not stupid, as others might say. Miria is observant enough that she notices what television channels Ennis pays attention to in 2002, and she has partially figured out Ronny Schiatto's identity by 1934. Isaac is also able to immediately identify a plainclothes man as an undercover cop in 1934, and acting quickly he lies and asks Miria to fetch his wallet for him at their apartment - basically sending her away so that the cop could arrest him and only him alone.

Miria appears to have have been in a dark and troubled place before Isaac 'came to her rescue' - she had once believed that she would never be able to laugh again.

Pre-1930
It is not known exactly how the two met, nor what their childhoods were like - Narita has been deliberately vague about their pasts. However, it is clear that Isaac grew up in San Francisco, since once he's released from Alcatraz in 1934 and set loose in the city he "thought of his home, so close he could walk there" (it's also supported by the fact that their string of larcenies begins in San Francisco). It is implied that he has a bad relationship with his family, though how is not disclosed (he murmurs that "they caught him" they "might kill him" (see 1934).

It has been implied more than once that Isaac comes from a wealthy home: He describes the Genoard manor on Millionaire Row as looking a lot like the house he grew up in; he constantly makes literary and mythological references that speak to a good education; not to mention the narrative itself suggests that since Isaac knows so much about odd things like Broadway musicals, "it was possible Isaac had been born into a fairly good family."

Even less can be inferred about Miria. She vaguely says at one point that she "should have died that day," but currently nothing is known about what transpired 'that day' - and she says that she'd thought she'd never be able to laugh 'again'. But thanks to Isaac, she's now "so, so happy." It is unknown if they met for the first time 'that day' or if they'd known each other beforehand. It is possible that she also came from a wealthy household, since she agrees with Isaac about the Genoard manor and says that it does look a lot like home. From this comment it might also be inferred that she grew up poor, or on the street, and equates a cozy manor life to what a home might be like.

Prior to their arrival in New York in 1930, they committed a string of eighty-seven larcenies "from San Francisco to New Jersey." According to the two, they first became "thieves of time" (meaning they first stole clocks). Other known larcenies include: the time they stole a large museum door (they intended to steal the museum, but since that was impossible they stole the entrance instead, making it 'impossible' for others to enter, and the time they stole chocolate (they were attempting to become villains, so they stole the 'source of children's nourishment'; Miria thinks that the children starved to death because of them).

At some point, they supposedly met some children from the Hopi tribe, and learned the Butterfly ritual dance from them. (See 1930).

1930 - The Rolling Bootlegs
In October 1930, the pair (dressed in traditional Native American clothing) scale the Genoard Mansion in western New Jersey. There, they empty out the safe of the family's fortune, leaving a note inside the safe. Carrying the riches in huge sacks over their shoulders, they open a door and see Eve Genoard staring at them. They deduce that she is a Genoard, and with relief sigh that they can now relax. They tell the girl that they are here to take away the source of her misfortunes--stealing their money so the family will have nothing to fight over. They promise that she'll be happy with her family at peace. Eve kneels before the couple (thinking that they are angels), and Isaac asks Miria why she is kneeling. Miria doesn't know, but if someone is worshipping them then they ought to give back something in return. The two dance a Butterfly dance that they were supposedly taught by Hopi children.

Their dance is interrupted by Eve's servants frantically knocking on the door. Isaac and Miria climb out the French Windows and make their getaway.

Sometime in November 1930, Isaac and Miria travel by train to New York. Hitting the streets, Isaac exclaims that so this is the city of Hope, and Miria brightly parrots that it's "overflowing with hope!" Isaac is promptly punched by a passerby (it's the Depression, after all), but he springs right back onto his feet and exclaims that this is exactly how a city should be - the thrill of violence lurking just around the corner, waiting to strike at a moment's notice. There are senses one can feel only when one is living on the edge. Miria thinks it a little scary, and he assures her that they must have God on their side. After all, they'd stolen their religious garments and God did not smite them for it, so He must indirectly be telling them their actions are just.

Isaac reminds Miria that they mustn't stand out too much - at least, not until their job starts. Miria nods and says that she'll stay quiet until they get to work. The two head off in search of a hat store, and eventually find a haberdashery. As they enter Firo Prochainezo and Maiza Avaro exit through the doorway, bumping into them as they walk. The duo crossly advise the men to be careful as they make their way inside. Inside, the two collect an assortment of various hats - a black fedora, a woman's lace hat, a Japanese helmet and an odd wooden mask - and buy them all up (for a sum equal to two months of a bank clerk's salary). Before they leave, they threaten the shopkeeper to keep his mouth shut. Isaac announces that if the man goes to the police, he and Miria will....they'll do...what will they do?

Miria suggests he threaten they'll hit the man, and both of them threaten to do just that. Falling silent, the couple hurry out of the shop with bags in tow. The two reach a nearby alleyway, where Isaac gasps that the old shopkeeper was a real tough guy - just one glare and he'd had Isaac...well no, Isaac wasn't afraid, but the man had made him run...er, ran Isaac off....? Miria helpfully clarifies that the shopkeeper had "made him withdraw" and Isaac seizes upon her wording as what he'd meant to say. Of course, if the two had fought, Isaac is sure that he could have beaten the man. But well, the man was strong too, and Isaac had thought that it would be terrible if Miria had happened to get hurt. So far they have robbed eight-seven places from San Francisco to New Jersey, and in all that time has Isaac ever put her in danger? Miria replies "only eight-seven times," and after a moment of silence Isaac points out that it's not even a hundred yet.

The two gleefully dream about retiring to Miami once their last big job in New York is finished, and all the fantastical things they'll buy - a big house with a large swimming pool (with ten stoves installed so as to keep the pool warm), and they'll build a railway through their garden and take the train fro the house to the gate every day. Except, no, the ticket fares would be expensive - scrap that idea. Isaac declares that they will be that rich, and that as long as he is with Miria he can become president - yes, he can indeed very well become the king of America, or queen, or even a joker!

The two hum jazz music, dance in the alleyway (overcome with emotion) and are subsequently hit by a car. The car drives off, leaving Isaac and Miria in the dust. The two manage to pick themselves up and totter down Broadway, carrying their helmet and mask. Isaac rubs his bruised arm and sighs that the pain has finally subsided. Miria comments "it has, hasn't it." Isaac groans that the next time he sees the lousy tin can that pulled the hit-and-run, things will "get ugly." He'll hit it! Miria points out that he'll break his hands, and an undeterred Isaac says that instead he'll hit whoever is driving. How will he drag the driver out? asks Miria. Isaac changes his tune - then...he'll spit on the car! Miria thinks that's perfect.

Isaac and Miria retreat to a deserted alleyway, and reminisce about some of the robberies they've pulled in the past (see pre-1930). Isaac declares that their last caper must be a good one, and to Isaac that means they should steal the Mafia's black money. Miria thinks that this is an excellent idea. As the two talk, a group of four men (led by Dallas Genoard) turn into the alley. Isaac and Miria move out of their way, but one of the men bumps into Miria and she staggers. The duo indignantly tell the four to be careful, and the thugs lose it. One of the men grabs Miria and restrains her with a full nelson while another punches Isaac in the stomach, sending him to the ground. The three men begin to viciously kick the downed Isaac, swearing at him during the assault.

The pair are saved by the arrival of a woman in a business suit, who easily dispatches all four of the men on her own. Isaac gets to his feet (clutching his shoulder) and he and Miria enthusiastically thank the women for rescuing two complete strangers. They go so far as to call her a heroine, and now that they owe her their lives they'll do anything she asks. The women asks them to help her carry the unconscious men to her car, and they eagerly comply. As the trio rest, Isaac and Miria note that the woman's car looks a lot like the one that hit them, and Isaac says he'll scratch that car with a coin next time they meet. And spit on it too.

Isaac asks the woman what she plans to do with the men, and she tells him she plans to hand them over to the police. At that, Isaac says "I see. Unfortunately, then, this is where we part." ("This is goodbye!" adds Miria). They vaguely say that the police station is a 'no-go' for them, and the woman cautiously asks if they've done something wrong. The two decide that "killing all those children" (see pre-1930) was the worst crime they've ever committed, and Isaac (parroting a line from a novel he's read) informs her that they're "on a journey of atonement." Miria clarifies that since they did "bad things" they're doing just as many "good things" to make up for them.

The woman quietly says that they seem to be "very strong" people, and compared to them she is hopeless, terrified of her own sins. Isaac and Miria brightly say that they'll all be 'bad' together, and the woman falls silent, lost in her own thoughts. They catch her attention and ask if she's all right. Miria chirps that though they don't know what the woman's done, she did save them, so "let's call it even." Isaac agrees, and points out that no matter how many bad things a bad person does, if they do just one good deed the world starts to think that "maybe they're actually a good guy," citing Capone as an example. So now that she's saved them, she'll become popular and live someplace warm, befriend boxers and meet a swell guy. (Miria: "That's right, you're even, even steven. If it still doesn't feel like enough to you, just do more good things! Then you'll be even!")

The woman says she must be going, and the two introduce themselves as Isaac Dian and Miria Harvent. The woman says her name is Ennis. Just Ennis. The woman gets into her car. As she drives away, the two call after her "see you later!" and "let's meet again!"

A while later, Isaac and Miria walk down the streets of Little Italy and wonder if Ennis turned the men safely over to the police. Isaac asks Miria what she thinks the crime was that Ennis committed, and she suggests that maybe Ennis is a runaway. Miria admires how strong Ennis had been, and Isaac suggests she was using the "Oriental Baritsu" used by Sherlock Holmes. Miria asks where are they headed next, and Isaac whispers that they're going to steal money from a small Mafia outfit rather than a big one. According to the information he'd received from an information broker, the two local groups that fit the bill are the Martillo Family and the Gandor Family.

The two head to The Alveare (owned by the Martillos) since it's closer, planning to case the joint. They are still dressed in their formal attire (in the anime they are wearing their priest and nun outfits). Entering the specialty honey shop, they ask the proprietress if they can enter the back door, and she shows them to the luxurious Martillo speakeasy. A waitress leads them to their seats, and Isaac orders their cheapest liquor. Once she leaves, Isaac whispers to Miria that they should look for the safe, and the two begin prowling about the establishment (rather conspicuously).

Isaac hears the sound of faint cheers. He follows the sound to the corner of the room, where barrels are stacked by their table. Peering between the barrels, he makes out a particular patch of the floor where light seeps through several holes in the wood. Pushing aside a barrel, he stands there and determines that the office must be below him. The waitress screams at him to move, that it's dangerous, and as Miria hurries in his direction Isaac hears a bang from below. Looking down, he sees smoke rising from the gouged tip of his leather shoe, and looking up he sees a freshly smoking bullet hole in the ceiling. Isaac faints on the spot, and Miria shrieks that he's been killed.

As Miria sobs the word murder over Isaac's prone form, the group from the basement room rushes upstairs (having heard her scream). Isaac turns out to be uninjured, and once he wakes up the couple are invited to the celebration party the Family is having for Firo Prochainezo's promotion to executive. The two gladly accept.

Once everyone is settled in the basement room, don Molsa Martillo raises a toast to Firo and everyone drains their glasses (and thus, Isaac and Miria become immortals, not knowing that they have ingested the elixir). Isaac says that he really thought he'd died back there, and Molsa bows and apologizes for the scare. Isaac, flustered that someone older and dignified like Molsa is apologizing to him, stutters and says that it was only the tip of his shoe and Molsa ought not to worry.

Meanwhile, Miria tries the duck meat (food has been served) and finds it delicious, pleasing Lia greatly. Randy and Pezzo enter the room and are disappointed to find the liquor has already run out, though they quickly clam up when Firo remarks that his and Maiza's liquor 'shopping' had been delayed by a local conflagration. Miria feeds Isaac some of the duck, and he light-heartedly says that while the duck is certainly tasty, it pales in comparison to Miria's beauty. An onlooker wonders how he can compare taste to looks, but Miria is simply happy that Isaac complimented her.

The two party until they can't eat another bite, say their goodbyes, and leave to wander the nighttime streets (carrying a jar of speciality honey that the Family gifted them). They are glad they failed to rob such nice people, and decide to scope out the Gandors' place instead. Watching the building from the distance, they see three people exit the door. Though their faces are obscured by shadow, the two can at least tell that the three men are handling a box with care. Isaac wrongly surmises that the box must be the Gandors' black money, and Isaac determines that if they're going to steal the box they need to do it today.

Isaac dons the wooden mask and the Japanese helmet, and leaps out to confront the men in an alleyway. He introduces himself as Professor Moriarty, returned alive from Reichenbach Falls. He holds the honey jar out as proof of his identity, claiming that Sherlock Holmes gave him some from his harvest (in Doyle's stories, Holmes becomes a beekeeper). At the men's scorn, he changes his mind and says he's actually Jack the Ripper. Again he is snarled at, and he asks what they'd prefer him to be: Uncle Tom's evil master or the Wicked Witch of the West.

The men draw their knives, growling that they don't have time to deal with him. Behind them, Miria trills, "what about me?" and as soon as the men turn she hurls a powdered mixture of pepper and lime at them (both ingredients they'd nicked from the speakeasy). The men hunch over in a ubiquitous coughing fit. Isaac and Miria snatch the wooden crate and abscond. Neither group ever learn that the other party was the one they'd met earlier that day (the men are Dallas and his two surviving goons).

At sunrise the next day, Isaac and Miria (who have changed into their priest and nun attire) lament their fate. The box does not contain cash after all; it contains two bottles of alcohol. They wonder why three men were carrying just two bottles of liquor in the dead of night, and figure that the alcohol must be high-grade alcohol, and Isaac asks Miria what they should do with it. At first she suggests drinking it (but two bottles is too much to drink) and then to sell it (but then again, a specialist would need to assess their goods).

Isaac decides that they should give the bottles to the Martillos as thanks for the honey, and Miria thinks they'll be thrilled since all their liquor is honeyed. Reassured that with this good deed the dead children will finally be able to pass on, the couple head for the Alveare. Entering the speakeasy, they are greeted by a bemused Firo, who comments that he hadn't known Isaac was actually a priest. In confusion, Isaac says that he isn't a priest (nor is Miria a nun) and all three look at each other, perplexed. Isaac says that they've brought liquor (at least, he thinks it's liquor) as a thank-you for yesterday.

Firo accepts the crate, and Isaac and Miria part ways with him and the others. Pleased with their success the two head off for the station, intending to leave the city. The streets are filled with an unusual amount of cops, and the two approach a man issuing orders to his officers to ask what has happened. The inspector informs them that several Gandor men were gunned down the night before. Troubled, he turns to Isaac (believing him to be an actual priest) and confesses that he is a sinful man. He had thought that it would be best if criminals simply killed each other off, but looking at their corpses he finds that he has nothing but hatred for their murderers - just like he does when an ordinary citizen is killed. He asks that the two pray for the deceased's peace after death, and walks away.

Isaac and Miria are horrified. Having completely misunderstood the situation, they not only assume that the men from the night before had been Gandors, they assume that they killed the men with the pepper bombs. The two are horrified. Now they won't even be able to look those dead children in their faces, nor will they Ennis'. A thought occurs to Miria, and she exclaims in alarm that the police might find out that the Martillos have the Gandor crate and assume that the Martillos killed the Gandors. Aghast, Isaac and Miria run back toward the Alveare.

The two end up getting lost, finding themselves in a factory lot. Miria overhears some men talking about a mugging from behind a fence. She alerts Isaac, and they hide behind some oil drums. Isaac nervously wonders if they were talking about him and Miria or if they're police. Miria climbs onto one of the oil drums sneaks a peek at the men over the fence. Realizing that they're the men who'd beaten Isaac up the day before, she leaps down and clings to Isaac, shivering. After she tells him who they are, Isaac thinks and concludes that they must have broken out of jail to take their revenge on Ennis. Miria shrieks that Ennis is going to die, and Isaac reminds her that Ennis is tough and can take them on no problem.

"No no no she can't," Miria says. The men have machine guns. Isaac goes pale, and looks down at the ground. He murmurs that by all rights he should have been killed by those thugs yesterday. The fact that Ennis had saved him meant that she was a hero. And heroes don't die. They mustn't die. Miria gulps at the grim look on his face. Isaac broods over Arthur Conan Doyle's stories, and mutters about how Conan Doyle had never written a story in which Holmes is killed by jailbirds he'd once captured. He would never write a story like that. Miria whispers his name in concern, and Isaac continues. He thinks it's probably because readers would be upset if Conan Doyle had written such a story. If Holmes is to be killed, he's got to be killed by a nemesis like Moriarty or it's 'no good'. And these thugs with machine guns are not nemeses.

Isaac continues to desperately psych himself up. He mumbles that Ennis their heroine and they should return her favor. Perhaps he and Miria will never be able to become good people anymore but...at least Ennis...

Miria declares that "we absolutely positively have to save her" and grabs Isaac's hand, pulling him along as she runs after Dallas' group. As they run, Isaac stutter-yells that he's the only one going, that they'll be up against machine guns and that Miria will be killed and then he accidentally bites his tongue. Putting a hand to his mouth, Isaac thinks Oh, I'm so glad I'm with Miria, and smiles as if he finds it funny.

During the chase, the pair spot the car that had hit them the day before. Isaac fiddles with the auto and starts up the engine and thus the two commandeer the vehicle, reasoning that they can easily overcome the machine guns by hitting the thugs with the car. Hearing gunfire from a nearby alley, they turn into the alley, speed up and plow straight into Dallas and his thugs. Upon impact, the men are sent flying over the car and collapse behind it. The couple's cheering is short-lived when Maiza bursts through a window and out into the alleyway in front of them. Isaac slams on the brakes, narrowly avoiding hitting the man. However, they do end up hitting the old man (Szilard Quates) who had lunged through the window immediately afterwards (unknowingly taking their revenge for the hit-and-run). Isaac hastily backs up and runs right over Dallas and his men, trapping them to the ground.

Szilard recovers and breaks the car's windshield. Recognizing them from the hit-and-run, he holds a knife to Isaac's throat to keep Maiza from running. When Ennis rounds the corner, he orders her to take his place and hold Isaac hostage until he (Szilard) has finished devouring Maiza. If Maiza resists, she should kill Isaac immediately. Isaac and Miria recognize her and uneasily call out to her. Ennis wordlessly accepts Szilard's knife and proceeds to restrain Isaac.

The two panic ("Ennis, you're kidding right?") while Szilard walks away. Ennis whispers to them that as soon as "that old man" touches Maiza they should escape. The two whisper in relief that it really is her after all, but they refuse to run away -- they've got to save Maiza first. Ennis asks why, and Isaac says that Maiza had treated them to dinner yesterday - he's "a good guy!" They plead with Ennis to rescue Maiza, and state that they'll "do their best too."

Ennis asks if they came intending to rescue Maiza, and is confused when they say that no, they came to save her. They explain that the men she'd 'taken to the police' broke out of jail and acquired machine guns. Thinking she'd be killed, they came to rescue her. And look! They've hit the men with their car, so she shouldn't worry about a thing. Ennis fails silent, and then thanks them. She is very glad that she was able to talk with them "at the end," and asks that they allow her to make one selfish request. Lowering the knife, she releases Isaac and with a forlorn smile she states her request: "Please don't forget me." They watch in alarm as she turns and charges Szilard, burying the knife in his back.

The two witness the ensuing events - Ennis collapsing, Firo's devourment of Szilard, and Ennis' revival along with the regenerated Martillo executives. When the police show up and Inspector Edward Noah (coincidentally the inspector they'd talked to before) grabs Firo, Isaac and Miria snatch the thugs' machine guns and fire them towards the sky. Loudly proclaiming that the 'Martillo treasure' is theirs, they say "so long, incompetent policemen" and make a break for it, shouting that the Martillos have done no wrong. Their ploy to distract the police works, and Edward sends his officers after them.

The pair dart through the alleyways, moving in the direction of a major street. At the mouth of the final alley they see two policemen on guard and shriek for the men to save them. Miria dives into one of the officer's arms and exaggeratedly trembles as she cries that armed men are chasing them. The men tense, but by the time they realize the truth Isaac and Miria are already gone, weaving through the crowds.

Isaac reaches into his bag and pulls out wads of bills. Shouting Merrrrry Christmas! he flings the money into the air, scattering them to the ground as they run. Miria laughs that he's "a month too early!" while behind them people scramble to pick up the bills, blocking the police's path. The two watch the police out of the corners of their eyes as they race for the station; most of their stolen money (99% of which had been the Genoard fortune) is lost to the crowd by the time they arrive at their destination. Unconcerned, Isaac asks Miria where should they run next. Anywhere, she says. He suggest they head back to Los Angeles and dig for gold. Miria notes that his plan doesn't sound like a robbery, and asks if they are turning over a new leaf. Isaac points out that they'll be stealing a fortune from the earth itself, much to Miria's amazement.

The two pause at the station entrance, bothered that they didn't get to say goodbye to Ennis or any of the other new friends they'd made. Looking towards the city, Isaac murmurs quietly: "This was an interesting town, wasn't it?" and that they should come back to visit the others someday. Taking the last bundle of bills from his bag, Isaac steps inside to purchase two tickets to California, noting that it's all they have left. Miria reminds him that since they gave it all away they've done a good deed, and Isaac supposes she is right. He guesses that Mr. Genoard must be smiling in heaven, and Miria adds "and all the dead children!" The two compromise and wish happiness for Mr. Genoard's children, who must be living in peace and harmony now that they don't have to fight over the inheritance.

The two spot a sign that says WELCOME TO NYC! just before they board the train. To commemorate the occasion, Isaac graffitis a big bite mark on the picture of the apple representing New York.

They arrive in California in either November or December, and they spend the next year digging for gold in California just like they had intended.

1931
Isaac and Miria spend most of 1931 digging for gold in their mineshaft, supporting themselves with the occasional lapis lazuli that they dig up. During this time, they exchange written correspondence with Ennis and the rest. At some point, they try to pan for gold dust but are shooed away by men who are angry that they are encroaching upon their territory.

In December 1931, Miria asks Isaac why they are mining for gold when the normal procedure is to pan for it. He reminds her that the last time they panned for gold they were kicked out (an experience she describes as humiliating), and anyway people just don't know that they can really find gold in a mineshaft. And besides, Isaac has had a stroke of good luck. He says that he found a centipede crawling around the abandoned mine (it was actually a millipede), and that "in the orient" centipedes are the gods of gold mining. So, they must be close to hitting the jackpot. Miria claps in awe.

Miria remembers that they received a letter from Ennis and Firo, and she reads the letter out loud to Isaac by the candlelight. Most of the letter is devoted to persuading the couple to come visit, but Isaac and Miria are bothered by one passage in particular. In the passage, Ennis writes that she thinks of them as her own siblings, and that she is sad when she thinks of her brothers she never knew. After reading the passage out-loud, Miria turns to Isaac with tears in her eyes and asks if the letter means that Ennis' brothers are dead.

Isaac is worried by her expression and quickly works to refute her conclusion. He claims that the passage actually means that Ennis wants a younger brother. Miria is instantly cheered up. Since Isaac and Miria aren't Ennis' parents they can't give her a baby brother, so Isaac suggests that instead they buy her something expensive as a gift. The two make plans to travel to New York. But where will they get the money? Isaac suggests that they pull off a train robbery since he hears it "pays well." What is a train robbery? According to Isaac, it is when one takes a train to one's destination, commits a robbery, and then escapes by train.

Isaac decides that they shall steal money from the mafia, just like they had back in 1930. As the duo deliberate on which mafia outfit should be their target, the flame of their lamp goes out, plunging them into darkness. Isaac nervously assures Miria not to worry, and tells her that they must stay put and wait for help to come.

The two end up dying of suffocation in the cave, and their prone bodies are later discovered by other people (possibly fellow miners) and carried away on stretchers in the morning. By the afternoon, they have recovered completely, and set off for the train station to execute their plan.

The plan is as follows: They will travel to Chicago (the city of the mafia), pull off their heist, and escape by train to New York. Their getaway train? The transcontinental express Flying Pussyfoot.

The first part of their plan is successful: The morning of December 30, 1931, the two steal a large amount of cash from a Russo Family transporter in Chicago. Dressed like a wild west gunslinger and a dancing girl, Isaac and Miria arrive at Union Station that very evening and head for their platform. There, they marvel at a large group of black-suited 'orchestra ensemble' boarding the train, and at a group of white-suited fellows who are also boarding their train. The two conclude that the white-suited folks are going to have a wedding on board the Flying Pussyfoot.

Once aboard the train, Isaac and Miria beeline for the dining car. Sitting at the counter, Isaac continually orders meat-based Chinese food from assistant cook Fang Lin-Shan. He and Miria pause in their conversation when a young tattooed youth stutters an almost intelligible greeting to them along with an apology. Swallowing his food, Isaac asks Miria what they should do - a stranger started apologizing to them! She cheers that it means they must have "won." Isaac shamelessly admits he has no idea what just happened but a victory is a victory and he thanks the tattooed youth for a "magnificent battle," shaking the youth's hands firmly.

As the youth ums and uhs, Isaac compliments him on his tattoo and says this is the first time he's met someone with a tattoo on their face. He asks him if he is a movie star, and the youth anxiously stutters that he's just a delinquent...really just a normal person. And then he apologizes again. Miria exclaims the apology is another victory for them and Isaac is grateful that the youth "let them win twice." He calls the youth a great person, and when tears well up in the youth's eyes Isaac tells him not to cry - watching such a "good man" cry makes him and Miria want to cry too.

The duo hand him a handkerchief and invite him for Chinese food. The youth accepts and introduces himself as Jacuzzi Splot and his partner as Nice Holystone. The four of them are soon joined by Czeslaw Meyer (who bumps into Jacuzzi), Mary Beriam and her mother Natalie Beriam; Natalie says that she and her daughter are on their way to see her husband, and came to have dinner with the boy they're sharing their cabin with. Introductions are given, and the party-like atmosphere grows.

Czes apologies for bumping into Jacuzzi, and Jacuzzi assures him it wasn't his fault. Isaac and Miria use the opportunity to tell the tale of the Rail Tracer, a railroad bogeyman that they claim would have eaten Czes up if he was a bad boy. Jacuzzi nervously asks how to stop the Rail Tracer from appearing, but Isaac doesn't remember the answer. Jon the bartender tells Jacuzzi that he's heard this story from the young conductor, so maybe Jacuzzi should ask him. Jacuzzi leaves the dining car and heads for the conductor's car.

Soon, a White Suit (Vicky) enters the dining car and stands in the middle of the aisle. He pulls out a gun from his pocket and shouts for everyone to put their hands in the air: at the same time, a group of Black Suits bursts through one of the car doors with machine guns and shout for everyone to get on the floor; through the other door bursts a man in ragged clothes who shouts for everyone to freeze as he brandishes a knife.

Surprisingly, Isaac and Miria are the first passengers to react. They have Czes and Mary duck and cover onto the floor beside them. Lying on the floor, the couple raise their hands and freeze, thus fulfilling all three demands. The raggedy man falters, apologizes and leaves the car - clearly realizing that he's out of his element. The Black Suits plug Vicky with bullets and threaten the frightened passengers with their guns. A short while later, another White Suit (Ladd Russo) enters the dining car and brutally takes down a Black Suit (Lemure), pummelling his face with boxer's fists. The other Lemures escape through the door, and Ladd is soon joined by his pals. After Ladd greets the Beriams, he and his entourage exit the car, leaving the mauled Lemure and Vicky's corpse behind.

Silence falls over the dining car and is promptly broken by Isaac and Miria, who are still on the floor; they stand once they ascertain that the danger is past. The other passengers rouse themselves and direct their fears towards Jon and Fang as the nearest available railroad employees, demanding that they stop the train. Jon and Fang lock themselves in the kitchen. The vilest complainer is a man called Mr. Turner, who calls the employees racist epithets (stinking Irish hick and yellow monkey respectively) as he demands a refund.

Having had enough of him, Isaac and Miria shove a hundred bills at him and ask "is that good enough for you "you....you bad person?!" Miria calls the man terrible, and the two say that if he wants a refund so badly they'll give it to them themselves. Jon and Fang poke their heads out of the kitchen as the man reaches out to grab the money. Turner calls Isaac and Miria "lowlifes" and they shout at him to be quiet - he's the one who's been talking about 'apes' and 'filth' while people are trying to eat, and accuse him off trying to wheedle a free meal off the employees. They throw another wad of bills at him, say that he's blinded by money and urge him to go disappear somewhere otherwise Isaac's billion guns will all fire at once.

Head Chef Gregoire orders Jon and Fang to throw Turner out of the car, and they do just that. When the two return, Jon quietly thanks Isaac and Miria, but they don't appear to have heard him. Welcoming Jon back, the two sing the praises of the head chef and then return to insulting Turner. They simply can't believe he was so horrendous to just go around blaming people like that. After all, there are no monkeys to be seen in the car and it's not a filthy car in the slightest. With Turner gone, the passengers finally quiet down and the car is near silent. Natalie orders Mary and Czes to leave the dining car and hide.

After the children leave the dining car, Isaac and Miria hop off their stools and say that they are leaving as well. Fang asks them where they're going, and Isaac replies that they're naturally going to go find Jacuzzi and Nice. Fang protests that it's dangerous, but the two say that is precisely why they are leaving - they need to rescue their new friends. Isaac says he'll fend the "Black Suits" and the "White Suits" off with his gun (his holster is empty) if necessary. Isaac and Miria leave through the car's back door; at the same time, the front door opens and in step several Lemures led by Goose Perkins.

Walking through the Second Class Car, Isaac feebly admits that he's growing nervous at how dark it is. Miria agrees that it is cold and it is scary and Isaac immediately boasts that he is neither cold nor scared so Miria shouldn't worry and just follow him. Noting how silent the corridor is, they wonder where the White Suits from Second Class went off to - maybe the Rail Tracer got them? The two hear distant machine gun fire from the freight hold, and head towards the noise.

Reaching the sole Third Class car, Isaac opens the car door to see a large giant of a man standing in the corridor with a smaller bloodied man slung over his shoulder. Isaac excuses himself and slowly shuts the door. With the door shut, Isaac proceeds to panic that perhaps the large man is the Rail Tracer -- at the same time, the large man anxiously says "a r-red dress. That woman...Rail Tracer?" (he thinks that Miria's dress is red from blood). Both sides fall silent at the other's voices, and finally Isaac takes a deep breath and tentatively calls out a greeting. At the man's voice, Isaac and Miria ask with a stammer if he's the Rail Tracer, and the man asks them the same question.

Silence. Isaac asks Miria if she is the Rail Tracer, and she says she probably isn't. Good news, Isaac says. Miria probably isn't the Rail Tracer. It turns out that neither Isaac and the man are the Rail Tracer either, and the man says that the body over his shoulder is his hurt friend. Hugely relieved, Isaac and Miria open the door and apologize - clearly the large man is a good man after all. The two introduce themselves, and say that they're going to rescue their friends before the Rail Tracer eats them. The large man calls them good people, and Isaac's face darkens. He and Miria aren't good people, but he hopes that they'll earn themselves the right to that title someday. Miria elaborates that they're now trying to do good things, and even if nobody acknowledges them for it they'll continue doing good things until they make up for all the bad they've done.

The two groups eventually say their goodbyes - (Isaac and Miria suggest that grandma's chicken soup should fix the hurt man right up) and before they exit the car Donny warns them to stay clear of the White Suits. Reaching the first freight car, the two panic when they come across bloody corpses in one of the rooms but but calm down when they realize that Jacuzzi isn't among the dead. Isaac draws a crucifix over his heart and sings a little hymn while Miria mourns them with the customs of a different denomination. Despite their calm, the two do honestly wish for the dead to rest in peace.

On the way to the next car, Isaac realizes in horror that they forgot to buy a gift for Ennis. Tears well in Miria's eyes, and he consoles her by saying that they can just buy Ennis a git in New York. Miria perks up, and the two laugh as they stand outside the second freight car. Finding the corridor empty, Isaac sighs in relief and prepares to step inside when he hears a single gunshot from inside the car. The two recoil in terror and shut the door. Looking through the door window, they see three White Suits exit one of the freight holds, led by Ladd (they don't recognize him since they were on the floor during the shootout in the dining car). In Ladd's hands is a smoking rifle.

Isaac and Miria rush back into the first freight car, duck by the door, and hide. Isaac deduces that these must be the dangerous people the large man warned them about, but reassures her that they're no match for his billion guns. The two fall silent so that they can focus on the immediate situation, and soon hear the door to the second freight car opening, followed by footsteps. They overhear one of the men ask Ladd why he killed 'him', and Ladd replies that although his offer was good, he (Ladd) couldn't stand the look in the other's eyes, how he was acting like there was no way Ladd was going to kill him. "he was looking down on me! Ladd Russo!" The voices fade away -- oddly enough, they fade upwards, and the duo wait a little while before Isaac finally peeks through the door window. No-one is on the coupling.

They open the door, and the frigid night air helps to cool their heads. Isaac mulls over the White Suit's name "Ladd Russo," realizing that he's definitely heard the name Russo before. He asks Miria if she remembers which mafia Family they stole the money from that morning, and Miria replies that it was the Russo Family. Isaac's ill premonition is now a reality, and he deduces that the White Suits must be after them. Miria trembles. Embracing her tightly, Isaac declares that they'll make it out alive and escape both the White Suits and the Rail Tracer.

Isaac remembers that the White Suits said Ladd had killed someone, but whom did he kill? The two, afraid that he had killed Jacuzzi, race to the freight hold and enter the room. Much to their surprise, nobody is inside. No blood, either. The two are bewildered, sure that Ladd had said he'd killed someone. Anxious, they pick up the pace of their search and head for the conductor's car. There, they are confronted by two bloody corpses, and Miria turns and stands back to back with Isaac, unwilling to look any farther. Isaac faces the interior instead and calmly surveys the gruesome scene as he asks her questions.

Miria's tone turns serious as she considers the possibility that Jacuzzi has already been eaten by the Rail Tracer. Isaac is determined to keep her spirits up, and in a voice as bright as he can muster assures her that since Jacuzzi's body isn't in the car, he must have been swallowed alive and whole and lives on inside the monster's stomach. Miria points out that they don't know where the monster is, but Isaac says that since the Rail Tracer wants to devour the entire train they'll run into it eventually.

Miria shrieks Jacuzzi's name, and Isaac coolly interjects that their friend won't show up just because they yell his name. At her urging, he turns and sees Jacuzzi in the corridor, accompanied by the giant they'd run into earlier. Isaac and Miria tell Jacuzzi how glad they are that he escaped the monster's stomach. They then apologize three times in a row, and a confused Jacuzzi says that he's the one who's sorry for worrying them. Isaac asks Miria what the 'score' is now: it's 3:3. The two proceed to assault Jacuzzi with meaningless sorries, so as to bolster their score. Jacuzzi, completely overwhelmed, apologizes over and over again in turn. The giant finally brings them back to reality and the four leave the car to go take refuge in one of the cargo holds.

After Jacuzzi explains his understanding of the situation on the train and the duo fill him in on what they've been up to, Isaac concludes that the the train has now become like "The Records of the Three Kingdoms." (A misnomer: he is referring to The Romance of the Three Kingdoms). At Jacuzzi's confusion, a battlefield where three factions (the Black Suits/Lemures; the White Suits/Ladd's men; Jacuzzi's gang) all battle for dominance. They launch into a warped Romance-based pep-talk, urging Jacuzzi to 'upset the balance' and to take over the train. They say he must become Yoshitsune, a famous historical figure who "defeated the three [Chinese] kingdoms and founded a country called Genghis Khan."

Despite the fact that Isaac's understanding of East Asian history is both wildly anachronistic and inaccurate, the energy in his voice serves as a glimmer of hope for Jacuzzi. The youth asks if Isaac really thinks he can become as great as someone like that, and Isaac silently looks into his eyes and nods. He declares that Jacuzzi is their defending champion, who defeated them countless times (back in the dining car). Miria agrees and says that Isaac's an amazing person. Since Jacuzzi managed to 'beat' Isaac, he must be really amazing.

Jacuzzi guiltily shakes his head, and confesses that while he does want to save the passengers and defeat the Black Suits, he's not actually that good of a person. As a bootlegger he breaks the law, and worst of all he ended up killing five people yesterday. Donny objects and clarifies that Jacuzzi didn't actually kill anyone, the giant and his friends were the ones who did the killing - plus the guys they killed were responsible for killing some of Jacuzzi's and the giant's friends. Jacuzzi morosely shakes his head and says that if he hadn't bootlegged liquor in the first place, his friends and the mafia guys could all have lived.

Isaac grabs Jacuzzi by his collar and lifts him up to Isaac's level. With his eyes wide, Isaac smiles confidently and reassures Jacuzzi that as long as other people call him a good person, then that means Jacuzzi will become a great person. The only thing that decides whether he's a good or a bad person is the "feel of the moment." Isaac and Miria urge him to have confidence in himself, but say that if he wants to start the wave of change aboard the train he has to make sure that at least one other person thinks he's a good person. They pledge to make those waves for him, and Jacuzzi ends up thanking them.

He asks that if Isaac and Miria think he's so great, what does that make them? The couple are taken aback, and admit that they're not sure. But what they do know is that they want to be a catalyst for good things, and they plan to bring the Flying Pussyfoot happiness (by dealing with the Rail Tracer and the Russos). The two head for the door and when Jacuzzi asks where they're going, they say that they're going to find the Rail Tracer and ask it to go home. If it doesn't, they'll fight it off! And if that doesn't work, they'll run away and hide! At any rate, it'll have to go home when the sun rises.

They are undeterred when the giant protests as well, and Isaac declares that he plans to fight the Rail Tracer with his hundred guns. Jacuzzi points out that he doesn't even have one gun, and Isaac acknowledges the truth of it. He hadn't expect things to turn out this way. With a deadly serious look on his face, Isaac says that it will all be all right."A famous old gunman once told me this." Looking straight into Jacuzzi's eyes, Isaac nods and says: "You know where a real man keeps his guns? His heart."

Jacuzzi doesn't think a famous gunman said anything like that, and Isaac replies "that so? Then I'll become that famous gunman!"

As the two step push the door open, Isaac again asks Jacuzzi not to worry about them and urges him to go rescue Natalie Beriam while they distract the Rail Tracer. At Jacuzzi's request, the promise him that they won't die, and state that Jacuzzi and Donny (the giant) must return alive too. With that, they leave for the conductor's compartment.

Time passes. Isaac and Miria return to the conductor's cabin and search for clues, and then make their way back through the freight holds again. Isaac and Miria walk through the Third Class car. They are perplexed that they have yet to run into either the White Suits or the Rail Tracer. Miria suggests that they search the cargo holds, but Isaac says that since the Rail Tracer starts feasting from the the caboose he won't be further back than the cargo hold where they found the corpses. She asks why, then, did they return to search the conductor's cabin and he responds that criminals always return to the scene of the crime.

The two check out each cabin they come across, untying the passengers along the way. Isaac is confused that none of the passengers have tried to escape their cabins, but the passengers tell him that they'd heard a child screaming for a long time from a nearby cabin. The screaming had stopped only when they heard a window shatter. Consequently, they'd all been too frightened to leave their rooms. Miria nervously wonders if the child might have been Mary or Czes.

The pair notice that one of the cabin doors is wide open. Peeking inside, they see a pair of Lemures looking through a window and talking quietly. Isaac and Miria conclude that the men must have been the ones who hurt the child, and Isaac declares that he will challenge them to a duel. Even Miria tries to deter him this time, but Isaac insists that there are certain things a man must do even knowing that he will die. Miria announces that she'll challenge the men too. They pull out their pouches of pepper and lime and throw them at the men, who drop their weapons in pain and struggle to breathe.

Isaac and Miria scramble for the men's machine guns, and challenge the duo to a duel. They say they'll start as soon as "the coin drops," but Isaac remembers that they don't have a single coin on them. Miria asks the Lemures if they have a spare coin, but Isaac stops her and says that they can't use the Lemure's coin - if he and Miria win the duel, then they'll be running off with a borrowed coin. No gunman should do something like that. They decide that they'll use the sound of machine gun fire as a starting signal instead. The Black Suits beg for their lives to be spared, tears in their eyes.

Isaac and Miria tie up the two men and move them to the next door cabin. Returning to the first one, Isaac and Miria wonder what happened to the child. Recalling that the two were by the window, the duo rush to the sill and are speechless to see Czeslaw's corpse tied up and hanging by the wheels. The boy's right arm and legs are missing.

Isaac leans further and further out the window, Miria holding his legs as support. At some point, he accidentally cuts his hand via the window (causing Miria to exclaim in worry. Unbeknownst to Miria, a certain someone enters the cabin just as she shrieks Isaac's name). Isaac then exits the cabin altogether, and clings to the side ornamentation to lessen Miria's burden. Hanging upside-down, Isaac is relieved to see Czes' eyes open. He shouts to Miria the good news, not realizing that blood is dripping from his hand onto Czes' face. He also does not notice his blood receding into his cuts, which reseal moments after.

Isaac finally succeeds in reaching the metal piping between the wheels; Miria releases him and he slips under the car. Realizing that Czes' arm is tied up, Isaac promises the boy that he'll get him out of there. Isaac supports the boy's body with his torso as he works to untie the child. When Isaac succeeds in freeing him, he reaches out to take hold of Czes with his right hand. Czeslaw screams don't touch me! and slaps away Isaac's arm, causing the boy to slip out of Isaac's hold and fall off the train.

In the blink of an eye Isaac lunges forward to save the boy, reaching out with his right hand to pull Czes towards him. Miria screams. With his other hand Isaac grabs onto the train, desperately trying to ignore the vibrations in his feet as the spurs of his cowboy boots bounce against the ground. Though he could perhaps climb back onto the train if he had both hands free, he refuses to let Czes go. His left hand at his limit, his fingers begin to slip. Miria climbs down to the wheels (even more skillfully than Isaac had) and grabs onto his hand in the nick of time, her own hold on the train slipping as soon as she touches him.

The two embrace each other, shielding Czes between them to protect him from harm. With his right hand, Isaac takes off the rope hanging from his back (it is attached to his belt) and attempts to lasso the train but misses. They fall to the ground and bounce up again - even still, Miria does not let go of Isaac and Isaac does not let go of her or the rope. At the other end of rope, a woman clinging to the underside of the train has grabbed the lasso in an attempt to save them.

Isaac and Miria continue to shield Czes even as they are dragged along the gravel. At the other end of the rope, the woman loses her grip as pain from the bullet wound in her leg acts up and the rope falls away only to be snatched up by Claire Stanfield (the man who'd entered the cabin as Miria shrieked Isaac's name). Claire ends up handing the rope over to Donny in the freight hold, and orders him to pull. Donny pulls with all his might, and Isaac and Miria scream as they are lifted into the air above the rooftop of the train (flying over Goose and Jacuzzi having a rooftop showdown) and over onto the other side of the car.

Isaac and Miria barely manage to climb onto the roof of the freight car (lifting Czes up with them) and collapse onto their backs for the briefest of moments before scrambling upright to check on Czes. The two attempt both CPR and heart massages on him, but nothing helps. The two hear an explosion, and turn to see a pair of silhouettes (Goose and Jacuzzi) standing on the last car. One of the silhouettes falls off the roof, and another explosion sounds off behind the train.

Normally the two would have lost their heads at this point, but they know that "now is not the time." The two spot a mass of red flesh approaching them along the roof and think that it must be the Rail Tracer (it's actually the flesh comprising Czes' right arm and legs). The two try to carry Czes and run for it. Sure that the monster has come to return for Czes, Isaac throws himself over the boy to defend him, immediately joined by Miria. The mass of flesh seeps in between the gaps in their defense. The silence is shattered by the sound of another huge explosion, and the two realize that the "red stuff" is gone. The two hesitate and look down to see that Czeslaw's limbs have been restored to him. Tears spring to their eyes.

Overjoyed, the two express their happiness at his safety, though Miria wonders how his limbs came back. Isaac explains that the Rail Tracer only gobbles up the naughty children. After it ate Czes it must have realized that he was a good boy after all and returned everything he stole. Czeslaw interjects that he isn't a good boy, and that he lied to everyone back at the dining car. He'd told them he was traveling to meet with his family in New York, but he's actually just going to see someone he knows. He's never even had a family.

The two declare that he really is a good boy, lying to them so that they wouldn't worry about him while all this time he'd been the one suffering the most. Miria cries "you're such a strong, sweet boy, Czes," and Isaac does not give Czes any time to respond as he taps his chest and says "All right! Just leave everything to your Uncle Isaac!" Miria pats Czes' cheek and says everything will be alright now that Isaac's on the case. So now he can smile!

The three make their way back to the dining car, where the Beriams are delighted to see them unharmed. Natalie thanks the two for looking after Czes as Mary hugs the boy.

The Flying Pussyfoot makes a pit stop to switch out all the cars, and finally reaches Pennsylvania Station (Grand Central Station in the anime) on December 31 at 2:00 PM, two hours late. Isaac and Miria are among the last passengers off the train, and they happily greet Firo, Ennis, Maiza and the three Gandor brothers they'd met at the 1930 party. Isaac and Miria inform Ennis that they've brought her a gift, and the two enter the train and reemerge with Czeslaw. They eagerly implore Ennis to take Czes as her new younger brother, so that both she and Czes can have someone. The two watch on as Czeslaw reunites with Maiza, sobbing into the older man's clothes.

Later that day, the two visit a general goods store and buy a huge amount of dominos, to the store owner's bemusement.

1932
On January 2, 1932, Isaac and Miria set up their dominos in the Alveare's basement room, with the help of Lia, Ennis, Yaguruma, Ronny Schiatto, and Randy and Pezzo (Maiza provided the design). Firo enters the room and asks in bewilderment what is going on, and they announce that they're setting up the dominos to knock them down. Once Isaac places the last domino on the ground, everyone cheers. The couple ask for complete silence, and together they knock down the first domino. Everyone watches gleefully as the dominoes fall, and Isaac and Miria dance the flamenco.

Afterwards (or perhaps on the 3rd or 4th of January), Isaac and Miria sit on the wine barrels upstairs (the barrels are stuffed with dominoes) and invite Firo to join them in knocking down dominoes next time. Firo refuses, and asks what's so fun about knocking down something that takes hours to set up, and the two simply say that watching all the dominoes fall is fun in itself. Faced with their infectious delight, Firo surrenders and promises that if he has the time to spare he'll help them out next time.

One day in the summer of 1932, Isaac and Miria (dressed in navy uniforms) are at the Alveare when Miria brightly calls out to Isaac that "it's terrible! Ice Pick Thompson has struck again!" It's all over the papers. The two unfold a newspaper over a decorative barrel, and Firo asks if they know something about Ice Pick Thompson. Isaac asks Miria what Ice Pick Thompson is. She isn't sure, but all the papers are saying that it's terrible news. Firo sighs that they've managed to get themselves worked up despite not actually knowing anything, and Isaac retorts that if Miria is terrified than that means there is absolutely something to fear.

Firo informs them that Ice Pick Thompson is a serial killer, and Isaac tells Miria that if they disguise themselves as non-humans they'll be safe, since serial killers only target humans. They launch into a nonsensical spiel about transforming into dragons, and through another warped logical thread conclude that they must become Time itself if they want to survive the serial killer (since time is the one thing that humans can never defeat). Firo impishly asks how they plan on becoming Time, and as Isaac thinks to himself - "Time...time is...time...is?" Miria chirps "time is money!" Well, now this obviously means that they must become money in order to defeat the serial killer but how do they do that? Firo gives up and leaves them to their own devices.

The two consider wearing clothes made out of coins, and as they continue talking Firo walks up (having finished his drink) and in exasperation asks if they're still at it. He asks what would they do after they blocked Ice Pick Thompson's attack, and Miria suggests that they get rid of the killer. Isaac argues that they still don't know if he's even a bad guy, and Miria agrees that that is a tough question. Firo cuts in that you wouldn't really call a murderer a good guy, but the pair counter that some people are nice even if they've killed others - like Jacuzzi! (Firo is unfamiliar with Jacuzzi).

Isaac and Miria warmly smile and say that even a camorrista like Firo is a good guy - all the Martillos are good guys. Firo wryly warns them that they shouldn't assume people like him are all nice, and they advise him not to be so humble. They nonchalantly admit that at first they'd thought the Martillos were all villains and attempted to steal money from the Family because they thought they wouldn't be scolded for it. But now look at where they are! The Martillos are their bosom friends. Firo splutters at the line about stealing from the Martillos, and the pair blithely assure him that it's all in the past. After all, instead of money they're stealing his time. Money is time!

At some point in 1932 or 1933, Isaac and Miria run into Jacuzzi on the streets of New York and reestablish contact with him.

1933
In September 1933, an internally struggling Firo knocks down Isaac and Miria's dominoes at the Alveare. The two angrily berate him for his actions, and he snaps and loudly confronts them. The two tremble, insult Firo in both English and Japanese and dash for the exit, audibly sobbing. The two nearly bump into Maiza as they flee. They proceed to aimlessly wander the streets of Little Italy. Isaac vows that that they'll make him cry uncle, and Miria adds that they'll make Firo cry bitter tears. Isaac stops and says that making Firo cry uncle and shed bitter tears is a little cruel, so they'll forgive him as long as he cries uncle. Continuing onwards, the conversation derails into a few tangents about Arséne Lupin and old Japanese expressions before it escalates into Isaac declaring all out war on Firo.

Miria worriedly asks where they're going to sleep that night since they left their money and possessions back at the bar, and Isaac (after a tangent about an Egyptian expression and Noah and the Ark) assures her that they have plenty of friends beside Firo and can ask one of them to give them a place to sleep at night. The two head to a certain house on Millionaire Row where some friends of theirs are staying and ring its doorbell. Nice opens the door and greets them. The two step inside and are welcomed by Jacuzzi and his gang, and Jacuzzi says they should have told him they were coming in advance so that he could have prepared them something to eat.

That only sends Isaac off into another tangent about an old Japanese saying (he's rather hungry) and Jacuzzi chuckles at their ludicrous conversation. The two openly admire the large reception hall and praise Jacuzzi for hitting the jackpot (not realizing that it isn't his mansion). Isaac cryptically says that it looked pretty much like his [family's] house from the outside so he'd had no idea it'd be this great on the inside. Miria agrees that the outside did look a lot like home.

As Jacuzzi dashes to the kitchen to prepare tea, Isaac and Miria return to disparaging Firo. Suddenly, Isaac slaps his knee and bolts upright. At Miria's inquiry, he says that "I just remembered that we're robbers! Isn't that right, Miria?" ("We're serial robbers, Isaac!" Isaac says that they should steal something important from Firo. However, since it's terrible to steal for personal motivation, they'll "stage everything" -- first they'll steal from firo and send him a ransom letter...and then they'll give him back his treasure! Firo will be glad and making up with him won't be a problem at all.  Isaac is a criminal mastermind!

Their bubble is burst when Jacuzzi blurts out that he thought they were planning on making this Firo person cry uncle. The two gape at him, and with a dramatic gasp Isaac looks to Miria and says "I can't believe we missed taking care of such a basic issue." He hms and decides that uncle will have to be a victory cry rather than a cry of defeat. Jacuzzi laughs that it sounds like they really like Firo, and the two proudly declare that sure, Firo might be their enemy now but they like him a lot. No matter how much you try, you can't hate him.

The doorbell rings, and while Isaac and Miria debate what Firo holds closest to his heart, Jacuzzi joins Nice in the lobby to find a group of oddly dressed persons making their way into the house. Isaac and Miria soon join other curious members of Jacuzzi's gang as they file into the lobby to see what the commotion is. The two witness a woman (Adele) impale a rough-looking man with her spear (it is unknown if Isaac and Miria recognize that the man is Dallas). Jacuzzi screams and faints. The group leader (Tim) order Adele to remove her spear and she does, kicking Dallas' body away. Tim addresses the crowd and announces that they ought to pay attention. With a theatrical bow, he reminds them that he had said he'd put on a magic show. He gestures to Dallas' corpse, and Isaac and Miria witness Dallas come back to life. Unnoticed, Chané Laforet descends from the upper floor and watches along.

Tim only manages to get a few words out before Isaac and Miria start enthusiastically applauding him for an excellent 'magic trick'. Tim offers Jacuzzi and his gang his proposal for the second time: he offers them immortality in exchange for their help in stealing a certain liquor. Chané charges Tim (intending to attack him) and is blocked by Adele. A Mexican woman (Maria Barcelito) holding two katanas enters the room and makes her presence known (she'd entered through the back entrance), stepping between Adele and Chané. Everyone tenses at the newcomer, and tense further at the sound of the doorbell ringing again.

In walks a gentle-looking young man (Tick Jefferson) who grimaces as soon as he spots his companion Maria holding her katanas. He calls out to her and reminds her that they aren't here to start a fight - what if she makes Mister Keith angry? Heaving a sigh, she returns her katanas to their scabbards. Tim stares at Tick and says that he and his group will return tomorrow to resume negotiations. Tick stops him and says that if he has business with "Mister Splot" then it would be better if Tim's group goes first. Why? Depending on how Jacuzzi and co. reply to Tick's own negotiations, they might end up disappearing from these streets.

The doorbell rings for a fourth time that day, and Nice wearily asks what on earth is with today. Isaac and Miria are completely oblivious to the tense atmosphere and are excited at all the guests who keep showing up - they must be here to see the magic show. The doorbell rings again, and on the other side of the door a woman says "maybe they're not home." Tim signals to one of his Larvae members to get the door. The man pulls it open, and everyone stares at Ennis, standing on the threshold in shock as she takes in the crowd of people. Isaac and Miria are delighted, and wave at her to catch her attention. They ask if she is here to see the magic show as well. Ennis' companion walks into the door and the atmosphere in the room completely changes as people realize that her companion is the Martillo Family's chiamatore Ronny Schiatto.

Again Isaac and Miria fail to notice the tension, simply buoyant to see their friend Ronny. Isaac waves to him and asks if he didn't bring Firo with him, and Miria pleads for Ronny to stay and watch the magic show. Tick greets Ronny languidly as well, noting that he hadn't thought the man would come to the mansion personally. Ronny replies that he's just doing his job, and frankly he didn't expect to see Tick here. The Gandor family must have been impatient to send their infamous torture specialist along. The crowd erupts into agitated mutters, but Isaac and Miria merely wait with bated breath for the next magic trick.

Jacuzzi wakes up at Nice's urging, but Isaac and Miria pay no attention to the proceedings as they whisper to themselves. Isaac wonders why Ronny is talking so "fancy," and Miria suggests that Ronny might be angry. Come to think of it.... Isaac mutters that they'd said they were going to steal something precious to Firo, and in a hushed tone he recalls that Ronny is not only Firo's senior but also the man who'd talk Firo how to fight with a knife. The two realize that Ronny and Ennis must be Firo's greatest treasures, and share a grin.

Meanwhile, Adele and Maria are on the verge of another fight. Ronny teleports their weapons out of their hands and into his own. He places the weapons on the ground. Isaac and Miria energetically clap, impressed that Ronny has turned out to be a magician too. Still applauding, they advance towards Adele, praising her for her incredible magic. Adele picks up her spear, hefts it, and thrusts it just to the side of Isaac's head. One of the prongs nicks Isaac's ear as it passes, forming a small wound. Isaac claps a hand to his ear and Miria yelps in concern - only for Isaac to remove his hand a moment later, confused that it doesn't hurt anymore. Miria is amazed to see that his cut has disappeared.

Adele hefts her spear again and aims directly at Isaac, but Ennis grabs the haft of her spear and coldly demands that the spearwoman apologize to Isaac. Isaac and Miria attempt to salvage the situation, assuring Ennis that there isn't a problem and that the spearwoman was just showing them a magic trick. As Dallas again gets to his feet, Nice pulls out a smoke bomb and throws it into the air. The room is filled with white smoke and everyone scatters. Isaac and Miria use the opportunity to seize Ennis and Ronny and drag them outside. Their plan is to kidnap Ennis and Ronny, and they apologize to Ennis and ask if they can please steal her for a while. At some point during this time Isaac writes the words WE HAVE ENNIS AND RONNY SCHIATTO in penmanship (that is obviously faked and still easily identifiable as Isaac's handwriting) and hands it over to Ronny, asking him to leave it at the Alveare for Firo to find.

At Ronny's suggestion, they head over to the Empire State Building. By now, half an hour has passed since Nice's smoke bomb. The four take the elevator to the offices halfway up the building, where Isaac and Miria are thrilled to look at the people down below them through the window while Ronny and Ennis softly converse behind them. Isaac turns and asks if Ronny remembered to deliver the letter like they told them, and he smirks that he'd taken care to leave the note on a counter where it would be sure to be seen. The two thank him, and explain that they've made a solemn oath not to go back to the Alveare themselves until Firo apologizes to them.

The two snicker and wonder what the expression on Firo's face looks like now that he's lost the things he treasures most. At their sinister grins (a rare sight), Ennis asks what they mean. The two do a little jig at her question and identify her and Ronny as Firo's faithful beloved and venerable old master: his two treasures. Ennis slowly says that they must be mistaken - she's not Firo's beloved, she only lives with him. Isaac comments that Ennis is a bit slow on the uptake when it comes to love, and Miria adds that Firo's love must be tragically unrequited. They pause in their teasing to giggle to themselves.

Some hours or so pass. Isaac and Miria tucker out from dancing and sprawl out on an expensive leather couch, leaning against each other as they sleep. The four of them -- Ronny, Ennis, Isaac and Miria -- end up spending the night at the office. The next morning, Ronny heads off to have a 'talk' with Jacuzzi. Isaac and Miria tag along, eager at the chance to talk with Jacuzzi again. Ennis leaves for the Alveare.

Isaac, Ronny and Miria head to the Babel restaurant at the top of the Mist Wall (a skyscraper owned by Nebula). Though the restaurant is full, Ronny insists to the waiter on entering, and he leads Isaac and Miria over to Jacuzzi and his friends' table (not noticing that Dallas is sitting with the group). Jacuzzi is surprised to see Ronny, and even more surprised when Isaac and Miria pop out from behind their friend and exclaim over how Ronny is so great a magician he didn't even need an abracadabra to find the youth. The three take their seats at the table, and Isaac and Miria chatter away happily to their friends.

Nearby, Firo is shocked when he spies his three friends and calls out to them, asking what they are all doing at the restaurant. Dallas howls Firo's name in rage, and everyone in the restaurant turn to stare at him as he gets up and stalks toward his hated nemesis. Firo matches Dallas' animosity and demands that Dallas tell him what he did with Ennis (Firo had wrongly assumed the day before that Dallas was responsible for the kidnapping). Dallas pauses, asks "...what?" and the silence is so deafening one can hear hear a pin drop.

The only one who dares to move is Isaac, who stares thoughtfully into space and then suddenly snaps his fingers as he remembers what happened the previous day. His exclamation draws the attention of everyone in the room, and he loudly reassures Firo that he and Miria saved Firo's precious Ennis. Firo relaxes and in visible relief asks "you're...you're really not kidding me are you. Ennis is really safe?" Dallas rushes towards Firo, and Firo casually slams his foot into Dallas' knee, flipping him midair and sending him tumbling to the ground.

A few of the restaurant patrons applaud, and Firo pins Dallas to the ground effortlessly. Ronny (who'd been watching the events with an amused smile) suddenly frowns, and Isaac and Miria ask what's wrong before immediately segwaying into their own surmisation which is that Ronny is jealous that Firo only cared about saving Ennis from the kidnapper's clutches. Ronny ignores them and informs Firo and Jacuzzi that he'd heard gunshots on the first floor (much to their astonishment).

The elevator door dings and out steps Adele and a peculiar red-eyed man (Christopher Shouldered). As Christopher loudly greets Firo, Isaac and Miria recognize Adele as the 'magician' from the mansion and assume that she's here to perform a magic show, especially since the red-eyed man looks like a wizard. Christopher demands to see the manager of the restaurant, and an old man raises his hand at the summons. Christopher draws his gun and shoots the man between his eyes. Chaos ensues, during which Ennis arrives at the restaurant, soon followed by Claire, Chané, Tick, and Maria. During the confusion, Isaac and Miria slip away to investigate the kitchen.

The two exclaim out loud in pleasant surprise when the manager shows signs of regeneration. Firo overhears them, looks over to see them crouching by the restaurant manager's 'corpse' and asks what they are doing. He is shocked when the manager's corpse groans and the man clambers to his feet, not a drop of blood staining his face. A series of revelations ensue, including the revelation that all one thousand and two hundred Nebula employees working at the Alveare are incomplete immortals. Isaac and Miria listen to the conversations in confusion and Miria asks Isaac what an immortal is. Well, judging from the word an immortal is someone who is not mortal, so clearly an immortal is someone who isn't dead. Ah, now Miria understands. In other words an immortal is someone who is alive. That means nobody in the building is dead! "Frabjous day!" (-exclaims Isaac).

After some physical alterations, Claire and Christopher break a window and exit to fight on the pyramid slope outside the restaurant. Chané and Hong Chi-Mei follow them outside. The only people left in the restaurant (the patrons have all escaped by now) are Jacuzzi in his friends, Firo and Ennis, Tim and Adele, Tick and Maria, Ronny, and Isaac and Miria - who are still for some reason inside the kitchen congratulating the manager. The duo listen from the kitchen to the goings on on the restaurant floor, where Adele and Maria are between fights (with each other). Adele tells Maria that she must be at least three times stronger than her (Adele) in order to stand a chance against her spear. Maria wagers that she is twice as skilled as Adele is, and exclaims that that means she wins. Why? Because she has two swords, and two time two equals four.

Awkward silence falls over the group. Isaac shouts that Maria is absolutely right - two times two is greater than three! Miria supposes that must mean that Maria is going to win. Just like Miria predicts, Maria ends up winning the fight, piercing her sword through Adele's shoulder. As Tim bandages Adele's shoulder, Dallas stalks up to Tim, intending to kill them. Adele uses her spear to stab Dallas in his chest. His teeth stained with his own blood, Dallas grins as Tim points his pistol at Dallas' forehead and says that he's lucky that he met that "crazy bitch with the bomb fetish the day before." Nice whips towards Dallas, spots a light spluttering underneath his jacket, and yells for everyone to hit the floor.

The ensuing explosion is loud and fiery, and the shockwave sends people flying. Isaac and Miria are knocked out and sent skidding into a corner along with Maria. In the aftermath, Firo and Ennis stumble to their feet and head over to the couple, lightly slapping their cheeks in order to bring them back into consciousness. Isaac groans and asks if someone pulled off an explosive disappearing act, and Miria coughs that it must have been the greatest explosion on Earth.

That afternoon, Isaac and Miria return to the Alveare and wax lyrical about the magic show they'd seen in the Babel Restaurant that morning, much to the disbelief of the Martillos. Firo and Ennis walk into the restaurant and are greeted by Ronny, Maiza, and the rest. The two sit at the counter and whisper about the 1200 Nebula employees only to be interrupted by Isaac and Miria, who would like to know twelve-hundred what, exactly. Firo awkwardly apologizes for the dominoes incident, but the two have already forgotten about the whole thing and ask if he means he wants to play dominoes. In the next moment, Isaac snaps his fingers and remember that they wanted to ask Firo something. He points dramatically at Firo and orders him to say 'uncle.'

Firo is confused, and asks "....uncle?" Isaac and Miria immediately celebrate, elated that they finally got him to say uncle. Firo bites into his sandwich only to spew a second later when Isaac and Miria casually reveal that they'd heard Firo had ran around in the pouring rain looking for Ennis, calling her name frantically. The two take up positions on either side of Firo and begin to poke him slyly with their elbows, fiercely waggling their eyebrows. Firo asks who exactly told them that, and Isaac tsks at his question, saying they'd "promised Czes very solemnly" not to tell anyone. Firo dashes out of the restaurant in search of the boy.

1934
One day in 1934, Isaac and Miria recount one of their thieving exploits to the patrons at the Alveare (the story involved a Shakespeare quote from the play "Romeo and Hamlet" [Miria's words] and a security guard), and take in stride the drunken retorts of the patrons. Isaac and Miria's tall tales have become a staple attraction at the restaurant and many of the patrons are familiar with them by this point.

A middle-aged man with a bushy mustache grins at them from his table and says that he'd like to hear more of their stories. He says that he's been coming to the restaurant for the past few days and every time it seems to him they're telling a new story. He reckons that they must be famous with the police. Isaac and Miria puff out their chests proudly and say that isn't true at all--their costumes are so perfect that no law enforcement agency could possible know who they are. The man smiles and says that he remembers an article from a few years back about a pair of robbers dressed up as Egyptian mummies. Those thieves wouldn't have happened to be Isaac and Miria, would they? If he recalls right, the thieves had broken into a bank and stolen as many tissue boxes as they could cary.

Isaac and Miria gasp and look at each other. Isaac is dismayed - the newspapers know about them? Miria remembers that there were cameramen at the time snapping photos. Isaac had thought the cameramen were mere random photographers out for a stroll, but to think that they were news reporters! This is terrible - they both face masters of disguise even more skilled than they are. The mustached man brings up the incident in 1930, when two bandits robbed the Genoard safe. The two loudly state that their lips are sealed. Still smiling, the man asks what the two happened to be wearing when the robbery occurred, and they declare that they were dressed like Native Americans.

The man smirks, and and continues to ply them with very specific questions about their robberies. At last he claps in admiration at their feats, and the two blush and ask that he tell them a story of his own. Ever so amicably, the man invites them to come over to his store where he'll tell them all the stories they want. It isn't much, but he calls it home. Won't they come and take a look at it? Certain restaurant patrons shift in their seats, sensing something off.

Isaac puts his hand inside his coat pocket and visibly frowns, stating that he seems to have accidentally left his wallet back in the warehouse he and Miria were helping to clean up earlier today. Miria worriedly asks if that means they are bankrupt. Isaac says no, the wallet should probably still be there. Would Miria be a dear and go fetch it for him? Miria jumps off her seat and runs out of the store. The mustached man's smile sours and he says that Isaac must be lazier than he looks. Isaac is uncharacteristically terse with the man, shortly replying "maybe" as he stares at the door.

After a few seconds of silence, Isaac clears his throat and says "alright, then. Let's go and see what you've got in your store." The man is taken aback and asks doesn't he want to wait for his lady friend? Isaac grins, pats the man on the shoulder and says "of course not, silly. Why would I want to 'bring her along to the police station?" 'A hush falls over the restaurant, and every single person looks directly at the two. The man freezes because he hadn't expected in his wildest dreams that Isaac was capable of seeing through his cover, and all the camorra (who'd figured out the man's intentions a while ago) freeze because they hadn't expected in their wildest dreams that Isaac had done the same. It is obvious that Isaac deliberately sent Miria away to protect her.

The plainclothes officer grudgingly says "...so you knew." Isaac blithely says it's not the first time he's been interrogated by the police. Not by a long shot. Normally he'd have given the man a pepper bomb to the face and scarpered, but he doesn't really want to cause trouble for the Martillos. It'd be a poor way to repay their hospitality. The officer can see that it wasn't just dumb luck that kept Isaac and Miria away from the law, and he asks suspiciously what Isaac really sent Miria to fetch. A pepper bomb? A gun?

Isaac looks around pensively, and is saved from answering when Randy and Pezzo swagger up to the pair, positioning themselves between Isaac and the undercover cop. They ask Isaac casually if he's had an argument with Miria - she ran out the back door without looking back. A young man sitting at a table nearby swears and springs to his feet, obviously another undercover cop. The mustached man shakes his head and gestures for him to stand down. The younger cop sinks back into his seat, glowering.

The mustached cop glowers too as he brushes past Randy and Pezzo to slap a pair of handcuffs around Isaac's wrists. It is clear to him that he has vastly underestimated Isaac, and from his expression it's easy to tell he's unhappy that he's been made to look the fool by someone he'd thought a simpleton. The nearby camorra smirk at the emotions flashing across his face. As he drags Isaac out of the Alveare, he spits that although Miria might have gotten away they'll make Isaac tell them where his hideout is soon enough.

Miria returns to the Alveare a few minutes after Isaac's departure. Puzzled, she calls out to Isaac that she couldn't find his wallet anywhere, and trails off when she doesn't see Isaac in the restaurant. Miria asks everyone where Isaac went, sensing that something is off. Her smile slips from her face, and she worriedly calls out again for her partner. Finally, the others break the news to Miria that Isaac has been arrested. She falls silent, and leaves the restaurant. She doesn't return.

At some point after after she leaves, Miria approaches Ronny and asks him to break Isaac out prison. The passage doesn't show her dialogue, but it is implied that she has figured out Ronny's nature to some extent ("...I have to say I'm surprised. I didn't expect that you'd even figure out what I am"). He asks her if he's sure she should be asking him for aid, and reminds her that there's nothing actually keeping him from exercising his power. He just chooses to reserve them mostly for the Martillos, to keep things interesting. What's more, he's never broken the rules on this scale, even for the Family. Breaking someone out of prison is breaking the law. Of course, he's visited Alcatraz in secret to meet "an acquaintance" but that's another matter.

He says that she should know that if he does rescue Isaac with his power (i.e. teleportation) that means Isaac will "cross the line" and truly become "one of us" (a serious criminal). Is Miria prepared to accept that? She is not ("Well, no matter"). Ronny guesses that Isaac really must be everything to her - which must be why she is hesitating, wondering if it truly is alright for her to decide his fate for him. Ronny says he'll give her some time to think it over, but she decides then and there that she won't go through with it after all. Ronny says that's fine as well. It's perfectly fine if she just believes in him and waits.

Ronny adds "one last thing" before she goes - a word of advice. "Something tells [him]" that the police might have staked out her and Isaac's apartment. He suggests that it might be wise if she stays over at someone else's place for a while. Perhaps she should cry a little (or a lot) and "let it all out." He says that it's true that what Isaac did may have been selfish, but notes that that could have been part of what drew Miria to him in the first place. She smiles at that, and Ronny says that she's making him embarrassed. Taking Ronny's advice, Miria heads to the Genoard mansion and moves in with Jacuzzi's gang, sobbing for three days straight over Isaac's arrest. Jacuzzi cries with her.

A couple days after her arrival, Chané slips into Miria's guest room and finds the woman red-eyed from crying. Chané (using her notepad to communicate) asks if Miria is alright, and Miria weakly smiles at the paper. She says that she is fine, and she apologizing for bothering Chané and her friends. Someone had told her that her and Isaac's apartment isn't safe anymore, so she needed a place a stay. At Miria's apology, Chané shakes her head and writes that the police have taken someone precious to her as well - her father. Chané is growing more and more fond of Miria, who so readily accepted Chané's muteness and her notepad.

Miria learns that Chané hasn't seen her father for almost four years and asks if she wasn't sad. Chané writes that beings sad won't return her father to her and Miria says that Chané is strong. Miria softly smiles and says that Chané must be waiting for him to come back just like Miria's waiting for Isaac to return. Chané nods immediately and Miria says that "that means we're friends!" Chané asks what Isaac is like, and the two talk throughout the night. The next day, Miria emerges from her room and offers Jacuzzi and his friend a bright smile. While from time to time she thinks of Isaac and cries, she is far more stable than she was initially. On the day of his arrest Isaac meets with FBI agent Victor Talbot, who tells him that for 'some reason' they can't put Isaac in a normal prison and will have to incarcerate him in Alcatraz. In exchange, Victor says that he'll shorten Isaac's sentence to a mere fifty days. Isaac is promptly shunted off to Alcatraz, where he ends up befriending fellow inmate Ladd Russo. Over the ensuing first thirty or so days, Isaac is thrown into solitary confinement on nine separate occasions for causing commotions. His nights in solitary follow the same pattern: his feet are chained, he is given little food, and ensconced in darkness. Sometimes in solitary Isaac is visited by the voice of a ''' 'fairy'. '''

One day (about a month following Isaac's arrest), Isaac and Ladd are eating in the cafeteria when Isaac spots Firo enter the mess hall. With a loud squawk, Isaac grins widely and waves at Firo with vigor, extremely pleased at the sight of his friend. The other inmates groan and the guards let out a sigh as they surround Isaac. "You again?" One asks. ("Me again?" replies Isaac). Two of the guards snatch Isaac's hands mid-wave, and two others stoop and take hold of his legs ("Yeah. You again."). Isaac asks if they're joking, and one of them says that the only joke here is the one he's making of the rules. Causing a commotion and whatnot.

The guard supposes that Isaac's tenth visit to the dungeons will refresh his memory, and promises that they'll throw in an extra pair of chains gratis, just for the occasion. The four guards lift Isaac up and haul him toward the cafeteria doors. Isaac feebly complains that he was merely giving Firo a New York style 'hello' in celebration of their reunion and asks that they unhand him. One of the men shushes him and snidely remarks about how jealous he is that Isaac will get a nice dark room all to himself. Isaac doesn't see why he's jealous - there isn't a whole lot of food in the dungeons and the chains make it so hard to move. The guard points out he can lose weight and exercise by pulling on the chains.

Isaac concedes that the guard has made a compelling point, though Isaac isn't isn't sure that he's that overweight. The guards proceed to carry him down to the the dungeons, where Isaac's feet are once again chained. The 'fairy' visits him again.

Over in the Genoard Manor in New York, Jacuzzi cries over the predicament his friend Graham Specter is in. Miria sternly bops him on the head with a book and says that if he continues to cry he'll smudge the "pretty painting" on his face. Jacuzzi anxiously turns to Nice to make sure his tattoo isn't actually smudged, and he sighs in relief when she says it's fine. Miria smiles and says that isn't it so much prettier now that he isn't crying? Jacuzzi wipes his eyes and says "of course! What was I thinking, sitting here crying over something like this when Isa-" Jacuzzi chokes on his own words. At Isaac's name, Miria slumps and she bows her head. She whispers Isaac's name low like a plea and it goes unanswered. Miria swallows heavily and forces down the sob lodged in her throat. Biting her lip, she grabs a nearby doorknob and promises that she won't cry. She's fine! She apologizes for making them worry - after all, it's not like she can solve anything by crying! She whirls around and fixes them with her usual smile, but she's speaking so fast she's almost tripping over her words. She exclaims that Isaac likes her more when she smiles and when Isaac is happy she's happy and so she won't cry so there, and she flings open the door and dashes out of the room in a flurry of frenetic energy.

Morning dawns in Alcatraz, and Isaac is released from solitary confinement. He heads to the cafeteria where he eats breakfast with Firo and Ladd. Wolfing his food down, Isaac grins and turns to Firo and asks if he knows that he can ask for not only seconds but thirds here? Sure, the pay is a little low but the meals compensate for the salary in full. Firo asks him if he slept alright, and Isaac admits that yes, the guards scolded him and locked him up and chained his feet but he's used to it by now.

Ladd explains to Firo that "your friend the genius" gets dragged off to the Hole all the time for minor offenses - commotions and shouting, mostly. It's never anything serious so he's out in no time, but...still, most people usually settle down after their first visit to the Hole. Firo asks if Ladd's ever been in solitary, and Ladd says his longest stay down there was ten days straight. It's not a good place, he says. Pitch black and so deep underground that you can't even hear anything other than the sound of your own breathing. Not to mention they skip meals. You can't move, you can't see, you can't hear.

Firo pats Isaac on the shoulder and says he didn't think Isaac had it in him to make it through something like that, even if it was only one night. Isaac says it wasn't that bad -- after all, the fairy kept him company last night, so it wasn't that boring. At Firo's resigned "here we go again," Isaac says that he is serious - he heard a little girl's voice and they talked all night long. Firo muses that all that time away from Miria finally got to Isaac, and Isaac admits that not being able to see Miria makes him lonelier than anything. But the voice really was real! The girl asked him all sorts of questions including how did Isaac know Firo, and if Isaac had drunk the liquor too.

Firo freezes, and hastily brushes off Isaac's words. Isaac indignantly says that Firo doesn't believe him, and well - Firo must know what happens to people who don't believe in fairies. Firo does not. Isaac is shocked; he falls silent and stares thoughtfully at the ceiling, having forgotten the answer. When Isaac raises his voice the guards issue a warning and the three quiet down once more. Firo asks Ladd about Isaac, pointing out that Isaac is the sort of person that Ladd hates. Ladd grins and says that if he's being honest here, there's something wrong with Isaac's head. Getting mad at him would be like getting mad at a puppy. He doesn't have enough brains to know any better. Isaac whispers "what? What's that about my head?" and Firo smirks and taps Isaac's head with his spoon, replying that there's nothing it that would make Ladd angry. Isaac misunderstands and thinks that Ladd said he's willing to forgive him, and he thanks him for being a fine fellow.

The conversation turns to New York, and Ladd says he's got a pseudo-little brother over there who likes dismantling stuff with a wrench. Isaac and Firo realize they know the man, much to Ladd's surprise. Firo informs him that Graham's on the run from the Runoratas, and Ladd becomes uncharacteristically serious. He murmurs that he'll go help Graham when he's released, and maybe visit his fiancée while he's at it. Isaac loudly exclaims that he's going to see Miria again as well, and a nearby guard growls and advances toward them threateningly.

At that moment, a commotion breaks out at a nearby table. Gig has lifted up another inmate by his throat, intending on strangling him. Ladd stands and says goodbye to Firo and Isaac, vaguely talking about about how it's his lucky day, insinuating that he's about to purposefully do something that'll send him to the Hole. Ladd proceeds to knock Gig out, and at the guards' dirty looks ("you again") he shrugs that he was just acting in self-defense. The guards should thank him and knock a half year off his sentence. Ladd nods to Isaac and Firo and says that if they're all still alive maybe he'll see them around sometime.

Isaac watches the guards escort Ladd and exclaims that he'd had no idea that the big guy was trying to kill Ladd. Firo covers Isaac's mouth as he watches Ladd's departure as well. Removing his hand, he asks Isaac how in the hell did he end up in Alcatraz, and Isaac recounts his meeting with Victor.

That night, a guard visits Isaac's cell and says that he's been invited to meet someone. Isaac is led to a certain door; inside the room, he is greeted by Huey Laforet. Isaac sits down on a chair and the two chat for a little while. At some point, Huey pauses the conversation and hides in the shadows by the doorway. The door swings open and Isaac is cheered to see Firo, asking him if he got an invitation as well. Firo takes a step back in shock, narrowly avoiding Huey's hand - the man had lashed out to grab him. Huey claps and calls Firo's speed admirable and his reflexes and situational awareness commendable - perhaps even on par with the likes of Nile and Denkurō.

The two talk. Firo says that he's curious what Huey thinks that he (Firo) will ask him first, and Huey replies that he thinks Firo would first ask why Mister Dian is with them. Tense silence follows the remark, and Isaac perks up at his name, asking if he's done something. Firo asks him what he's doing here, and Isaac says that a guard summoned him. He'd been talking with "this monster man" when Firo joined them. "Monster man?" Isaac says that Huey's like a certain mythological Japanese beast that likes to live in secret rooms.

Huey steps forward and thanks Isaac for his time. He very much enjoyed all of Isaac's stories, but he is afraid that it is time for them to part ways. He has very sensitive secrets to discuss with Firo, and hopes that Isaac understands. Regret flashes across Isaac's face, but it is gone in an instant and replaced with a smile. He agrees to leave, but he asks that Huey do him a favor and make all the people here happy. They all look sad for some reason - tragic pasts probably.

Huey agrees that their happiness is important, and reminds Isaac that everything the two of them talked about must remain a secret. Isaac declares that Huey's secrets are safe with him as he jumps to his feet and follows the guard outside. He spends the rest of the night in solitary. The rest of Isaac's sentence is uneventful for him.

On Isaac's last day of his sentence he meets with Misery, who congratulates him for reaching the end of his term. Isaac smiles sheepishly and apologizes for all the trouble he's caused, and Misery informs him that he is the third person whose entry has been personally supervised by himself. Furthermore, Isaac's fifty day sentence is the shortest in the prison's history, and Misery urges him to put aside his criminal ways and live for society, for America, for the people he loves. Isaac puffs out his chest and says that he'll do his best.

Misery pulls out an envelope containing payment for the month of hard labor that Isaac carried out, and says that he added in a little extra as a farewell gift. Isaac smiles and thanks him. He leaves Misery's office and boards a boat on the island's pier. He drinks in the sunset bathing the island in warm orange hues, and breathes that the island looks rather beautiful. Isaac thinks back to his past, of how he'd "looked upon the very same island so many times in his youth...and suddenly, even more than he wanted freedom, he wished to see Miria."

After he reaches California soil, Isaac is subjected to a long series of procedures at a Division of Investigation office. Most inmates would have served the remainder of their sentences in normal prisons after being released from Alcatraz, but since Isaac was never actually tried he is now a free man in full. Isaac had been scheduled to meet with Victor during this time, but due to problems for Victor in New York Isaac ends up talking with Victor's boss instead. As soon as Isaac is handed the clothes he was wearing at the time of his arrest, he fishes out his wallet and pools its contents together with the small sum Misery had given him.

He makes a beeline for the train station, ignoring urgent-sounding radio broadcasts playing in the streets as he walks. All he wants to do is see Miria as soon as possible, but the problem is that he doesn't have enough money to take a transcontinental train all the way back to New York. Normally this wouldn't have been a problem for him - he'd typically have stolen some money from a passing villain to liberate it for a better cause, but Misery had told him to shed his criminal ways and live for the people he loves. With immense willpower, Isaac rejects the option of thievery.

For a moment, Isaac thinks of his home, so close that he could walk there if he wanted - but he pictures Miria's face and discards the option of home without a second though. He murmurs quietly to himself "and besides, if they caught me... they might kill me..." and with those mysterious words he enters a telephone booth and calls the Alveare. With Seina's help and Ronny's advice, Isaac gets the number to the Genoard manor on Millionaire Row. The operator patches him through to Jacuzzi, who blubbers and sobs how glad he is that Isaac is safe. Jacuzzi hands the phone over to Miria, and Isaac is overjoyed to hear her voice, at how happy she is through her sobbing laughter.

Isaac finds that he is smiling as well, and he wonders what he should say. What could he say? He hesitates until a thought occurs to him. Before he can think it through he opens his mouth and says "Sorry, Miria! Turns out my wallet was in my pocket all along." Miria accept his sincere apology, chirping that she forgot all about that. With a sigh of relief Isaac speaks the next words slowly, reluctant to continue. He admits that he doesn't have enough money to return home, so if she could gather up enough money for the ticket and meet him that would be swell. The eagerness in Miria's voice is so strong that it was a safe bet she'd have dashed across the country on foot if he'd asked.

Isaac frowns as he listens to her, thinking that it wouldn't be fair to make Miria come all the way to see him by herself. He decides that he'll meet her partway, and after glancing at the schedule in his hands decides that they should meet in Chicago (the city where they'd once dressed up as Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb and robbed some gangsters). Miria thinks that it's a grand idea, and Isaac grins. They arrange a time and place to meet in the city and Isaac stuffs the meeting information in his pocket, filled with hope at the thought of tomorrow. Jacuzzi's gang accompanies Miria to Chicago. As soon as she steps off their train in Union Station she calls out Isaac's name, craning her neck in search of him. Nice reminds her that Isaac's train won't arrive till tomorrow. Miria knows it too, but she simply can't help the urge to call out for him. Looking up at the sky she says cheerfully that she really hopes she can see Isaac soon, but the hopeful atmosphere is crushed by the sound of a sharp explosion about five hundred meters west. The gang leave for the scene of the explosion. Miria arrives at the scene several moments after they do (she'd been delayed by the crowds incurred by the police) and is worried when Jacuzzi and his friends don't re-emerge from a nearby alleyway (where an explosion has just gone off).

She is about to rush into the alleyway when she sees Donny emerge from the smoke, carrying Jacuzzi and a child over his shoulders, Nice at his side. Nice rushes forward, grabs Miria's hand and runs, hollering that they've got to get out of the area. As they flee, Nice takes a cylindrical smoke bomb out of her pocket, tears it open with her teeth and flings it behind her. Miria is momentarily separated from her and she looks to see small groups of Jacuzzi's delinquents setting off small distractions in the crowd through the smoke.

Nice is embarrassed and apologizes to Miria for things turning out like this. The two slow their pace, and Miria realizes that they're going into hiding. She asks Nice what happened and what are they running from, and Nice wearily answers that they are running from the police, who very likely think that Nice is responsible for the explosions.

Around the same time, Isaac sings to himself in an otherwise empty third class compartment aboard his transcontinental train, readjusting the cowboy hat on his head (he'd bought it with his leftover money). Looking at his reflection in the window, Isaac contemplates adding decorations to his hat for improvement's sake - and realizes that a man is standing behind him. Isaac infers that the man must be a friend of his, and the man (wearing a nice business suit) shakes his head. He says that this is the first time they have spoken in person, and asks if Isaac is Mister Isaac. Isaac says that if they weren't friends before, they'll be friends starting from now and he offers his right hand to the other man to shake. The man sits down next to Isaac, and says that he's just the way everyone says he is. Isaac is surprised that the man knows who he is, and the man says that he's watched Isaac from a distance. Simply put, you could say that he's a fan of Isaac and Miria. With bright eyes, Isaac says that he understands why the man is a fan of Miria - she's "as pretty as any gal on Broadway" but what possible reason could the man have to be a fan of him? The man evenly responds that he has none - only many people have told him of the duo's exploits and that he's been quite envious of them. He's talked to the Martillos, the Russos, Eve Genoard, Jacuzzi Splot, Czeslaw Meyer...from all of them he's heard tales of Isaac.

Isaac's good mood intensifies and he cries that that settles it - if the man is friends with all these people then he's friends with Isaac too. And once he meets Miria, Isaac is sure that Miria will be happy to be his friend as well. The man gives him an ironical smile and says that he's grateful. Isaac slaps his knee and remembers that he hasn't asked the man's name - how can he introduce him to everyone if he doesn't know the man's name? A nickname would suffice just as well. Giving Isaac another strained smile, the man mutters that it feels like he's some sort of spy. Finally the man introduces himself as Sham.

Sham says that the first time he spotted Isaac was back in 1930, when he and Miria were scattering money onto the streets. He confesses that he picked up some of the money they'd thrown, but Isaac can only say how grateful he is that Sham took them. The next time Sham saw them was back on the Flying Pussyfoot, and Isaac is amazed that Sham was on the very same train. Isaac says that at the time he'd tried to be brave so that Miria wouldn't worry, but all his efforts were for naught. Sham points out that a coward wouldn't have been able to walk around that train like Isaac had.

Isaac supposes that if Sham is right, Miria must have been so brave that Isaac was just borrowing her strength. He asks Sham where he was during it all, and Sham replies that he was in one of the First Class compartments. Sham abruptly changes the topic and notes that Isaac and Jacuzzi and his gang get along well. Isaac brings up the Romance of the Three Kingdoms and compares Jacuzzi to Alexander the Great. Sham comments that that's a lofty evaluation, but Isaac stands proudly and proclaims that Jacuzzi truly is great.

Sham narrows his eyes and observes that Isaac and MIria have seen quite a lot - the 1930 speakeasy incident comes to mind, as well as the Mist Wall bombings in 1933. Honestly puzzled, Isaac points out that lots of other people were at those events, and Sham finds himself speechless at Isaac's lack of self-awareness, at how the man has no idea as to how many lives he and Miria have changed, saved, how if it hadn't been for them at the Alveare in 1930 history might have taken a drastic turn. Isaac smiles and turns to look through the window at the passing scenery. Bouncing a little on his feet at the thought of reuniting with Miria, he remarks to Sham that they'll be arriving in the afternoon and isn't it amazing how trains are so fast? Nothing like walking.

Sham asks Isaac if he believes in God, fate, or some other higher power, and Isaac instantly replies that he does. He explains that he'd overheard from a man in another car that this world has over eight million gods - everywhere. So no matter how many gods one worships, it'll be alright as long as you're careful, because that'll be the same number of gods that judge you.

Sham presents Isaac with a question: what if there was some hopeless situation that was satisfactorily resolved due to a 'certain extraordinary encounter' - if such a thing were to happen, would Isaac say that it was luck or fate? Isaac asks if in this scenario everything really does work out in the end, and Sham replies that it'd does. Then there's nothing to worry about, says Isaac. That's great! Sham alters the premise: what if there was a man with the power of a god and could cause these encounters to happen. The type of power that's very good at bringing people together or separating them. However, this man is only interested in helping people he likes. Whether or not he uses his powers completely depends on his personal feelings. To what degree does Isaac think a person like that can be forgiven?

Isaac asks why Sham thinks people would need to forgive the man, and Sham uses another example: Pretend that he is walking in a forest and spies a butterfly caught in a spider's web. Feeling sorry for it, he frees it and feels satisfied. Sham points out that while he might be saving the butterfly, but in doing so he is depriving the spider of nourishment. And because of the self-satisfying human who pities the prettier butterfly, the spider might starve to death.

Isaac gets it - the butterfly's good fortune becomes the spider's bad luck. He comments that he and Miria used to go whole days without food, so he knows that "mister spider" is definitely right. Sham takes this to mean that Isaac sides with the spider, and mumbles "smug human self-satisfaction...that's what it all is." Isaac asks again what this has to do with saving butterflies; even if nobody saves the butterfly, it's possible that a bird will come along and eat the spider - or the butterfly too. A falling branch could destroy the spider's web too. In that case, it would all just be bad luck, not just because a person made a wrong choice.

Sham is thrown into confusion at Isaac's words, and privately wonders that if Miria were here, would Isaac have come to a different conclusion? Sham says that Isaac's type of thinking is far too simple and Isaac sheepishly replies that he must not be too good at this sort of thing. He continues on and says that even when you take things like nature into account, humans really are like gods - at least when it comes to Sham's hypothetical situation. Although Isaac says he might have this wrong, he does know that if the spider tried to eat Miria then Isaac wouldn't care at about it going hungry. All he'd care about was saving Miria. Isaac points out that neither he nor Sham can really tell how the spider and the butterfly are feeling, and that they probably have their own ideas about Isaac and Sham. The two critters might view the humans like lightning bolts!

Isaac realizes that he's gotten off track and apologizes, confirming with Sham that they had started out talking about God. He apologizes again and asks Sham to repeat the question. Sham tells him that suppose this god had become attached to the idea of 'lasting bonds.' In order to bring people together, he'd have to perform some miraculous event, all the while hiding the fact that he is not human from his friends. Isaac is surprised - why can't his friends know the truth? Sham says that the god is afraid that if they know what he is they'll be so scared that some of them might not want to be friends anymore. So what should the god do?

After mulling it over, Isaac asks "so why doesn't this god just do what he thinks is best?" He says that he understands how irritating it would be to worry if people will hate you. After all, Isaac worries every day how he'd go on if Miria didn't like him! Isaac is truly troubled at the thought, a rare pensiveness momentarily shrouding his face. Isaac checks with Sham that what this god wants is to help people connect with each other, right? Well then, the god's fear doesn't actually stop him from doing just that, says Isaac. It doesn't matter if other people hate the god after all, as long as the god knows that what he's doing is right. And if the god didn't help and his true nature was discovered anyway, then that would be even worse.

Sham agrees. In the end, nothing would change for better or worse if the god did nothing. Isaac enthuses that while he still doesn't know if he's gotten everything, that sounds about right. The two talk for the rest of the trip. Back in Chicago (Friday), Miria and Jacuzzi's gang have gathered together in an abandoned warehouse, where Miria sits by the side of Rail, the child who'd been slung over Donny's shoulder. When she notices that Rail has awoken, Miria takes a towel and gently wipes Rail's face. Rail asks who she and the others are, and she introduces herself as Miria and the others as friends. Rail asks what happened and why are they in this place, and Nice pushes through the crowd to say that they had to go into hiding thanks to Rail's bomb. Rail spots Nice holding a bag of bombs and attempts to stand up (only to immediately fall). Miria rushes to support Rail, who pleads that Nice give the bombs back.

At Nice's urging, Rail says that they bought the bombs off a Hollywood filmmaker and modified them. The delinquents chatter at that, and one of the teenagers informs Rail that the group's decided not to blame Rail for anything. At Rail's confusion, Miria says that it sounds like Rail has been forgiven, and that means Rail will probably like whomever forgave him. By late evening, Rail and the delinquents listen to Nice talk about her own explosives with passion.

As Miria listens to Nice's stories, she is accosted by two intruders - men who grab her arms and restrain her. She screams and attempts to wrench herself free to no avail. The men advise the delinquents to not make any sudden moves, and one of the men puts his gun to Miria's temple. They order Rail and Nice to come with them, and Miria pleads for them all to run and not to worry about her. Nice raises her hands in the air in cooperation, but Rail does not, rummaging through their bag for a bomb. Another intruder slips behind Rail and injects the child's neck with a syringe. He and two others scoop up Rail's body. Miria demands to be released and calls for Isaac to save her just as the man holding her clamps his hands over his mouth and leads her out of the factory. As Miria's voice chokes off, Nice glares at the men holding Rail and demands that they let Miria go. The man who answers her assures her that everything will be fine before popping a sugarcube into his mouth.

Back on the train, Sham seems troubled by something but says that it's nothing when Isaac asks. Unable to sleep from excitement, Isaac gazes through the window and sees a flock of birds flying in the night. Jumping up like a child, he points them out to Sham (impressed that they are still flying) and Sham obligingly spares the birds a glance, deep in thought.

Eventually their train arrives in Union Station, Chicago. Isaac bounds out of his car and calls out for Miria, only to find that she isn't on the platform. He remembers that they hadn't been sure what time Isaac would get there in the morning, so it is possible that she just hasn't arrived yet. He realizes that he's lost sight of Sham and doesn't know how to get in contact with him. Ah well. Next time. Isaac notices that there is someone standing behind him; turning around, he smiles with the expectation that it is Miria only to see that it is someone completely different.

Some time earlier, Miria, Nice, and Rail have been taken to a Nebula building, where they are promptly separated. Miria has been gagged and bound to a chair in the corner of a room for some amount of time. At the sound of gunfire and explosions, her guard stands and leaves the room (telling her that she'd better not try anything - not that she could if she wanted). Miria's response is muffled by her gag. The guard sprints out the door and down the hallway, and through the open doorway Miria can hear the sounds of gunfire loud and clear. At the sound of screams, Miria struggles even harder to break free of her bonds, sending shelves and chairs crashing down around her.

The door swings shut, but is soon opened once more when Lua Klein pushes it inward. Lua frees Miria from her bonds and gag, and the two women rush for the rooftop garden where they are confronted by a chaotic scene. Miria screams when she sees Nice at gunpoint, and Jacuzzi - who'd arrived on the rooftop at the same time - screams as well. The group of white-clad scientists on the roof ask their director what to do now, and she decides that they'll seize the tattooed boy. Before the scientists can get anywhere near Jacuzzi, Graham steps in to defend him.

Rail pulls out a bomb from Nice's bag (thanking Carol for all she's done) and climbs over the roof's railing, intending to blow himself up. He activates the bomb and lets go of the railing, dropping the bomb as he begins to fall. Jacuzzi lunges forward and grabs Rail's arm; the bomb goes off below them and causes Jacuzzi to lose his grip on the guardrail. His arm is grasped just in time by Nice, who struggles to support the weight of two people. Miria races over to her, leaps over the guardrail and tells Rail to take her hand. Miria begins to pull Rail up but a inexorably strong gust of wind assaults her. She feels her grip begin to slip. Carol, Lua, and Gustav run towards the rail intending to pull her up.

As Miria loses her grip on the metal she instinctively calls out Isaac's name. She hears a voice say Mortal, this time I will grant you your wish and in the next moment a man's face stares down at her. It is Isaac, and he grabs Miria's arm, steady like a rock. Tears well in Miria's eyes as she recovers from the shock of seeing him, as she realizes that he's not an illusion but decidedly real. A wave of warmth rushes through her and she begins to cry in joy. Rail, Jacuzzi, and Miria are pulled to safety, and Miria tearfully throws herself into Isaac's embrace.

As the two have their reunion the leading Nebula scientist (Renée) claps her hands and orders one of her researches to shoot Graham's friend in the foot. The research aims his gun at Shaft's foot but screeches in pain when someone twists his arm (and the gun muzzle) up. The gun goes off and shoots the researcher in the head. The scientists turn to see the man responsible - it is Christopher, who greets them cheerfully.

Isaac and Miria recognize him as the 'magician' they'd encountered in New York the previous year, and they wonder if what they just saw was a magic trick. Christopher turns to look at the man he'd killed only to see him in the process of regenerating. Isaac and Miria are relieved - it really was a magic trick after all. Instead of being peeved, Christopher says that he's quite glad that the scientists can't die, and adopting a showman's patter he announces that he's about to demonstrate a little trick called human regeneration. He begins to take the researchers down, and Isaac and Miria wildly applaud.

Jacuzzi and Nice approach Isaac and ask him how had he known to come to the Nebula building - did Nick and Jack lead him here? Isaac (who is holding Miria) blankly says that he didn't see Nick anywhere. No, what happened was, "I made this new friend on the train...and there was another friend I made in prison...and when I got off, they took me here!"

Once everything is settled, Isaac, Miria, and Jacuzzi & co. board a transcontinental train to New York, where they occupy a third class cabin. Isaac recounts a personal anecdote he's told over and over again, much to Miria's enjoyment. Jacuzzi's friends teach him over his apparent jealousy of Rail's bond with Nice. The group returns to New York.

At some point after their return, Isaac and Miria are at the Alveare with Maiza, Czes, and other Martillos when Annie runs into the room announcing that Firo has arrived home. They and the others reunite with their friend.

1935
In February 1935, Isaac and Miria merrily wander the New York streets. Miria informs Isaac that she's just thought of something amazing, and Isaac cries that "you're incredible, Miria! I had no idea!" He asks what is so amazing, and she cheerfully says that "Isaac, we have no more money!" Isaac's automatically cheerfully reply falters and he frantically turns to look at her, his eyes wide. (His fear stems from a misunderstanding he's had regarding some of Yaguruma's proverbs about money).

Since the two have decided to walk the straight and narrow ever since Isaac's release from prison, the two puzzle over what sort of job they should find. Obviously they'd like a job through which they can earn a salary. Isaac considers working at a bank, but then again he doesn't know how to count money. Miria suggests that they beat up bank robbers for the bank. The two gallantly head toward the nearest bank and proceed to get chased out of every bank in the area (in an average of thirty seconds per talk).

The two retreat to a nearby park and hold a conference on the lawn. All the banks had told them that the companies would make it just fine without their help. The couple guess that they didn't make it in time, and suppose that it's true after all that time is money. One of them mumbles that they've lost to the thief of time, and the duo sigh gloomily and mutter about needing work.

Isaac and Miria go off to visit Jacuzzi and his gang at the Genoard manor on Millionaire Row. There, they greet Jacuzzi and ask why he is crying. He says that he is planning on meeting someone tomorrow, and they nod and comment that he must be really happy in anticipation of it if he's shedding tears of joy. They call for celebrations and for Jacuzzi to let all his tears out like money falling from the sky. Jacuzzi apologizes and says that the gang doesn't actually have any money. Isaac announces that that's perfect - he and Miria are broke too. A perfect match!

Jacuzzi mumbles that he doesn't know what to do and that at this rate he really won't have any money to pay the Martillos. Isaac and Miria manage to make out what he's saying and Isaac asks if he's borrowed money from the Family. "N-no...w-well, kinda. I guess." Isaac laughs and says that he and Miria stopped by the manor to see if Jacuzzi had any jobs for them, but it turns out that Jacuzzi is in the same boat as they are. The two clap their arms around Jacuzzi and drag him towards the door, instructing him to come along now. Jacuzzi asks where they're taking him and Isaac says that they know a restaurant owner named Molsa who just happens to be a member of the Martillos. They'll just ask him to give Jacuzzi more time to repay his debt. Heck, Molsa might even forgive the debt! And if he does that, he might give them a job too!

Jacuzzi stutters that if Isaac does that he and Miria might get in trouble - Molsa might be mad at them for bringing Jacuzzi along to talk about money. Isaac points out that if Jacuzzi can get a job to work off his debt then Molsa will be happy as well. Rail approaches the group and tells Jacuzzi that it will be fine, and since Jacuzzi is so nervous they have no choice but to come along with the group.

Twenty minutes later, the four arrive at the Alveare and head off to meet Molsa. Rail is made to wait outside Molsa's office while the three enter and see the man himself sitting at his desk, with Ronny Schiatto standing behind him. Jacuzzi attempt to introduce himself but ends up hyperventilating as soon as he opens his mouth. Molsa turns to Isaac and asks who the young man is, and Isaac explains that he's their friend Jacuzzi. From what Isaac understands, Jacuzzi borrowed some money from the Martillos but doesn't have enough to pay it back. So they'd like him to help Jacuzzi find a job. And a job for them as as well, of course. Molsa laces his fingers together and introduces himself to Jacuzzi, who realizes in fright that Molsa is the don of the Family.

Jacuzzi finally manages to introduce himself, and Molsa says that any friend of Isaac and Miria is a friend of the Martillos. The duo have done a lot for Molsa's boy Firo. However, he can't condone failing to pay back owed money, and he asks who Jacuzzi borrowed it from. Ronny says that Jacuzzi is referring to him, and explains Jacuzzi's situation. Molsa turns to Jacuzzi and says that he hopes Jacuzzi isn't thinking they'll let his tribute slide. With conviction, Jacuzzi says that he'll take full responsibility and settle the tribute. He asks Molsa not to hurt his friends, and also Jacuzzi would rather not die if possible...

Isaac and Miria witness the exchange and whisper that things are more complicated than they'd thought. Politics, ey? Molsa overhears them and says that they're right, it is a political issue. Jacuzzi might become a very fine statesman someday. Isaac and Miria agree, and say that Jacuzzi has so many friends he just might become President. Molsa reassures Jacuzzi that he is under their patronage, and says that he'll give them all a job. If they do it well, their pay will cover the tribute for half a year. It's an usual job for a 'special event' next week. Specifically -- Molsa and Ronny want Jacuzzi and his friends to help Firo Prochainezo out by gambling at an upcoming casino party.

Randy and Pezzo enter and say that the don of the Russo Family is here to speak with Molsa. Isaac and Miria excuse themselves, saying that they'll wait outside while the new customer converses with Molsa and Ronny. Once Molsa is done with the Russo don and Jacuzzi, Isaac and Miria re-enter the office and get their own jobs from the Martillo don.

The two leave the Alveare, and head out to the job location. They catch sight of a seaplane weaving through the New York buildings (incredibly close to the ground) and rising up into the air and into the night sky, heading out of New York. Isaac excitedly notes that while they've robbed a train, they've never robbed a plane -- though he is quick to add that they've "washed their feet" of the whole business. Miria asks Isaac how one robs an airplane anyway, and he replies that of course one would steal the most important thing to it. Well, what's the most important thing to an airplane - asks Miria. Isaac pauses. "...the sky?"

Miria is impressed, because of course a plane can't fly without the sky. Isaac continues - all they have to do is take the sky from the whole word. "Magnificent," cries Miria, but where does the sky begin? Where does it end? This time Isaac does not hesitate, and replies "where the planes fly, of course!" Miria objects that the seaplane was awfully low, and Isaac has a revelation. That must mean that they're in the sky right now! One could even say that New York is the capital of the sky if planes are flying around in it. The two decide that they should be grateful to the airplanes for making them able to feel the sky, and promise not to rob them. Isaac asks Miria if she isn't glad they've left their life of crime behind them - it's the best feeling in the world!

The two break out into a run, waving and chasing after the further seaplanes they spot in the sky. Thanks to that, they end up getting themselves thoroughly lost and end up not arriving at their new workplace until the middle of the night. In front of Fred's Clinic, Miria reads the closed sign, and the two pace back and forth in front of the glass until a young man appears in the window. He tells them that the Alveare owner had called in and told the office he was sending them new assistants.

The man pauses and peers at them. He almost asks if he's seen them before, but he sighs and lets the matter drop. He introduces himself as Who, and tells them that they won't have to worry about treating any patients. Spotting a newcomer approaching behind the two, he exclaims perfect timing and says that he'll introduce Isaac and iIria to him. Isaac and Miria eagerly turn around and greet the stranger. The man smiles mildly and says that they're very polite. He explains that he's also indebted to Doctor Fred, and introduces himself as Le.....Le..... He snaps his jaw shut, and while his expression darkens a little he smiles and says:

"Ah, sorry. My name is Lebreau Fermet Viralesque. Pleasure."

The two soon meet Fred himself, and are delighted when they recognize him as the "grey magician" from the Flying Pussyfoot. Fred reasons that this must be fate, and since Molsa himself is introducing them that's one more reason he can't refuse. After that, he inducts them into the job.

Some hours later, Miria asks Isaac why the two of them are dressed like doctors (she is in an old-fashioned nurse's outfit, he in a labcoat). He explains that it's because they're assisting a doctor. They have to dress the part. Miria points out that they're not actually helping anybody get better, but Isaac puffs out his chest and tells her not to worry. He's had plenty of colds before, but he always got better. Miria brightens and says that whenever she has bruises, she puts ice on them to stop them from swelling. Isaac exclaims that since he can make himself better, he must be a pretty good doctor.

Who thinks they need to get their heads 'checked out' but the two protest that their heads don't hurt. Oblivious to the fact that he was mocking them a little, they cheer that he must be "a really good guy" to be so concerned about them. They start to thank him profusely, and Who (feeling guilty) ends up apologizing. They ask him why.

The three's job today is to help transport materials from the clinic to the poorhouse (housing facility) that Fred also owns. Who says that after they do a little more work Doctor Fred will show the two the apartments, so they should help him load the goods until then. Lebreau and Who will do something else while they're out. As soon as he says the name, Lebreau steps into the clinic and asks if Fred has not returned yet. Isaac and Miria greet him and say "it's been a few hours!" and that it's good to see him again. Lebreau flashes them a breezy smile and says he looks forward to working with them both from now on.

Who finishes packing the last food rations into boxes, and says that all that's left now is to wait for the doctor. He furrows his brow when he notices a car parked in front of the clinic, blocking the entrance. Lebreau goes over (intending to ask the men to move the car) but as soon as he opens the door a man punches him in the stomach and kicks him to the floor. Four more men climb out of the car and shuffle into the clinic. Who rushes over to Lebreau and asks who they are. The men ignore him and say that the "one broad" must be Miria so...which one of the men is Isaac?

Isaac speaks up at his name (inadvertently revealing his identity) and asks what they did to Lebreau. Miria pipes up and says that they're against violence. The men whisper that yes, that duo must be Isaac and Miria, and decide that they'll just snatch them all since their plan will work better if they use a couple uninvolved people. Isaac asks if they're kidnappers ("a kidnapping ring! The N'drangheta!") but informs them that unfortunately the two of them are broke and are simply working. The men pull out blackjacks (leather bags filled with sand; also known as saps) from their breast pockets. One of them raises his weapon high above his head intending to smite Who with it and knock him out. Lebreau is still on the floor, clutching his stomach.

Isaac moves between Who and the man just as the weapon falls, intending to take the blow himself to his back in order to protect Who and Lebreau. He is a second too late, and the leather bag slams into his right wrist instead. The momentum carries him forward and he shouts as he falls that this really hurts and what am I going to do. He writhes on the ground and clutches his right wrist as it goes numb. Miria cries his name, and one of the men says that it'll be bad if outsiders hear her screams. Start with her first.

Another man approaches Miria with his blackjack in hand and Who yells for her to run as he lurches to his feet. Yet another man swings at Who from behind (aiming for the back of his head) but at the last moment he stops at the sound of metal against metal. The men look towards the entrance, and one of them doubtfully opens the door to see a man dismantling their car. The man turns around and in his typical long-winded fashion essentially says that Ladd had told him to see if the clinic was open, he'd found the car blocking the entrance, and he decided to dismantle it instead of climbing on top of it.

The men realize the man must be Graham as he continues rambling about saving the world and how the car is the enemy of Earth. He pulls off the car's bumper in the meantime. Who takes the opportunity to help Lebreau to his feet, and they retreat to a farther back corner away from the attackers. By this time Isaac has recovered from the pain in his hand, and holding Miria close to protect her he exclaims in admiration to Miria that the man is "going to save the world!" Miria wonders if that means he'll save them too, and Isaac hopes that he and Miria count as part of the world. ("What do we do if he thinks we're Martians?")

The leader of the thugs shouts at one of his men to shut Graham up before rubberneckers gather in the area. Two men exit and climb over the car to get at Graham; the leader says to the remaining two men that they'll leave the car and kidnap Isaac and Miria by escorting them through the back door or a window. He looks at Who and Lebreau and says that "you're gonna disappear nice and quiet."

The man pulls out a knife and advances on Who, but stops at the sound of screams from outside. He and the others can the limp bodies of his men on the car and beside it. A man crawls through the car and looks over at Who at knifepoint in the clinic. He loudly greets Who and asks if he's in the middle of something, and Who (realizing that it's Ladd) is both nervous and relieved to see him. Ladd spots Isaac and cries "Oh? Isaac? Well, if it ain't Isaac!" Isaac is just as surprised to see Ladd as Ladd is to see him. Who mutters a question about them knowing each other, and Ladd chuckles that they spent time together in Alcatraz. The leader cautiously puts away his knife and backs away from the group in the clinic. Ladd steps forward and the man pulls out a smoke grenade and throws it to the floor. White smoke fills the clinic. By the time the smoke clears, all the men - including the downed men by the car - have vanished. In the clinic, Ladd catches up with Isaac. "Hey there, Isaac, buddy! It's been a while! I knew you were friends with Frio, but I never thought I'd find you when I came lookin' for Who!"

Isaac says they only met Who yesterday, and Miria asks who Ladd is. Ladd exclaims that "this pretty dame" must be Isaac's girl Miria. The three of them fall into amicable conversation. Lebreau approaches Who while they talk and says that he'll probably be in the way of their reunion so he'll go check on the patients and the back door. Who warns him to be careful, and Lebreau glibly says that if he sees the men "I'll scream as loud as I can" before disappearing down the hallway.

Later, Ladd, Graham, Shaft, Isaac, and Miria head to the poorhouse and are greeted by Roy Maddock, Upham, and Nader Schasschule. Ladd and Nader retire to the cafeteria to talk, while Graham and the duo wait out in the hall. At Graham's typical opening line let me tell you a sad, sad story Isaac and Miria protest that he shouldn't tell sad stories because if he tells sad stories all his happiness will run away. He should tell a fun story! Or a funny one!

Graham hms at this unusual response (nobody had ever responded to him like that before) and in a nice little warped bit of logic he concludes that Isaac and Miria must be gods (since they're giving him an impossible trial). Isaac in surprise asks Miria if it is true that they are gods, and Miria exclaims "Oh my God!" Isaac muses that he'd had no idea,and asks what they're the gods of. Miria says they might be Japanese gods, since Yaguruma says that the Japanese have eight million of them. Next to them, Shaft mutters in disbelief at the pair.

Graham ponders what story can be fun enough for a god. He knows that certain religions offer their gods sacrifices, but the only person he has to sacrifice is Shaft. Graham determines to tell a story that will make Shaft literally die of laughter. Shaft argues with him, and Isaac tells Shaft to think positively - sacrifices are usually treated pretty darn well. Like sons and goats! ("Abraham had seven kids!") Shaft points out that sons and gods are completely different.

Later, Ladd, Graham and Shaft depart from the facility. Isaac and Miria overhear Nader and Roy talking about Nader meeting the Genoards, and that Roy doesn't know where they live. Isaac exclaims helpfully that he and Miria know the Genoards' place, and Miria adds that they "cased that joint so many times I remember it perfectly!"

A few days later, Isaac and Miria visit Jacuzzi at the Genoard manor on Millionaire Row. Jacuzzi wobbles over from Christopher to greet them, and says that he's glad to see them - he hadn't heard from them in a while so he was worried that something happened. The two cheerfully say that they've been doing transport work - pretty tough work. Some men even attacked them! Miria adds that they even hit Who and Isaac. The two fill Jacuzzi in on what happened, and Isaac sighs that he doesn't know what would have happened had Ladd not saved the day. Why'd those guys try to kidnap them, anyway? And what was up with the smoke bomb? Miria asks Isaac what should the do if the men were monsters, and Isaac worriedly says he hopes she doesn't mean the Rail Tracer. Jacuzzi screeches at that, and Nice calms him down.

Jacuzzi warns Isaac and MIria that the job sounds dangerous and they should quit. Miria asks if Jacuzzi's job is dangerous and he puts his head in his hands, remembering his situation. Isaac unhelpfully volunteers that Jacuzzi shouldn't worry and goes on a tangent involving a Japanese proverb and how he needs to wrap himself up in metal so that God can pierce his heart and make fire feel cold and ice burn. Jacuzzi wonders if he really can become someone new, and Isaac reminds him that he already became a samurai on the Flying Pussyfoot. Jacuzzi still doesn't feel like he's gotten all that strong, and Isaac beats Nice to the punch and says that a samurai shouldn't worry about little details like that -- Jacuzzi can just get stronger now.

Jacuzzi thanks them, and the two ask about his dangerous job again. Jacuzzi goes white and he reluctantly explains his situation. Once the two return to the clinic, they ask for three days off so that they can attend the casino party at Ra's Lance. On the grand opening day of the casino, Isaac and Miria show up in tuxedo and dress and stare up at the building the casino is in, filled with awe. "It really does look like a lance!" Behind them are Jacuzzi and his crowd of delinquents - Jacuzzi dragging his feet while his crowd chatters on as carefree as always. The group presumably spends the next several hours at the casino.

The second morning of the casino party finds Isaac and Miria walking down the sidewalks of Manhattan. Isaac announces that he has thought of a surefire way to win every time he gambles. His idea (which is essentially the martingale) is quickly shot down by Firo, who addresses them from behind (ever since he learned about how they were attacked at the clinic, he has made up excuses to casually accompany them around the city).

The three of them eventually arrive at Fred's clinic. Frowning, Firo asks Isaac who typically locks up the clinic, and Isaac replies that that would be Who, since Doctor Fred doesn't usually arrive at the clinic until after ten. Who is a live-in that takes care of the inpatients, though there aren't any of those at the moment. Firo points out that the door is half-open, and Isaac muses that that's odd, since Who normally gets mad at him and Miria if they leave it open. Miria reminds him that the door hasn't fit in the frame since the fight.

Firo pushes his way past Isaac and Miria, heading for the entrance. Isaac and Miria's slightly concerned questions are ignored. They follow him inside, and are alarmed to see him crouching over a passed out Who by the reception desk. He reassures them that Who is breathing, and they wonder if he's fallen asleep from overworking.

Miria spots a "pile of blankets" in the clinic's inner corner and asks Isaac if those blankets are what they're going to transport today. Isaac is impressed at the size of the "pile" and leans against the 'blankets'; Miria joins him. A few second later, the 'blankets' move from underneath them. With one last violent shake, Isaac and Miria are sent careening toward the ground. They finally realize that the 'blankets' aren't 'blankets' at all, but a bear - one that proceeds to stand up on its hind legs and growl. Isaac and Miria shriek and sprawl out on their backs, folding their hands on their stomachs.

Firo nervously asks them what they're doing as the bear drops its front paws onto the floor. They loudly explain that they are playing dead on the advice of Kanshichirou Yaguruma, who had told them that if they ever met a bear they should either play dead or suffocate it by sticking their hands down its throat. Continuing to talk loudly (and startle the bear) Isaac wonders how they can play more dead than they currently are now. "A moving corpse," Miria asks. They'd have to be vampires. The two decide to become vampires. Slowly, Miria gets to her feet and draws a blanket around her shoulders like a cape. Eyeing the bear, she asks Isaac how they will go about playing vampires. Isaac hesitates and replies that they'll have to become bats and suck blood. He too stands up, fashions a blanket like a cape, and flaps the ends of the blanket like bat's wings. Firo warns them to "stop freaking the thing out," before shoving Who (who has passed out again) into the adjacent room.

The bear scoops Isaac and Miria up by the legs and tries to toss them onto its back. They hit his back but end up rolling off it and onto the floor. The bear lowers itself as much as it can, its intentions clear. Isaac and Miria scramble onto the bear's back obligingly, and chatter away over their achievement.

Eventually, Firo calls Victor. By the time Victor (and a few policemen and inspectors) arrives, Isaac and Miria have dismounted the bear and fallen asleep against it. While they sleep (and Firo and Victor talk), a crowd of rubberneckers forms outside the clinic. Fred arrives as well. At some point after they wake up, Firo leaves for work. Ladd Russo enters the clinic while Isaac and Miria are petting the bear. Isaac greets Ladd and informs him of Firo's departure.

Ladd spots Victor, and the two speak for the first time. The conversation turns south quickly (their personalities clash); Isaac notices that a fight is about to break out and moves to step in. The bear chooses that moment to stand - and Isaac and the others realize in puzzlement that a artificial-sounding noise is sounding off somewhere in the distance. The bear lumbers out through the door after the noise, and Victor shouts at the dumbstruck police guards to stop it before it causes a scene.

Isaac and Miria dart past him out through the entrance and protectively fling themselves in front of the bear, protesting that it isn't dangerous. Ladd punches Victor and exits through the gate, where Graham, Gabriel and Juliano, and others are onlooking. Isaac and Miria manage to climb aboard the bear and it takes off for Central Park. Behind them, the twins Gabriel and Juliano take chase on their motorbikes. Behind them, Ladd, Lua, Shaft, and Graham follow in their car (well, Graham does a handstand on top of the car) and Victor grabs hold onto the car's bumper and is dragged along the asphalt during the chase (he does not let go).

During the chase, they pass Luck, Maria, Alkins, Raz Smith, Mark Wilmans and a few other assorted persons. They eventually arrive at Central Park, where Salomé Carpenter and members of the Larvae/Lamia have organized, with Christopher and Ricardo Russo at the fringes. Salomé switches off the device he'd been using to emit the strange sound. Salomé quickly gets on Ladd's bad side, and he and Graham take on members of the Larvae in combat. Gabriel and Juliano ride around the perimeter of the fray on their motorbikes. Meanwhile, Isaac and Miria watch onward from atop the bear (Lua, Shaft, Christopher, Ricardo, and Victor look on).

The bear roars, upset. Everyone fighting briefly stop moving at the terrific noise. Chané arrives on the scene, and Ladd immediately challenges her to a fight. She charges forward. Isaac and Miria watch the duel in concern between their respective friends (Ladd to Isaac, and Chané to Miria) and try to figure out what possible reason the two could have for fighting each other. Things become more chaotic as Alkie (he and Luck's group have arrived) gets involved, Maria starts fighting Chané, and Smith meets The Poet (a Lamia member). Isaac and Miria are convinced this is all a circus performance.

Claire Stanfield arrives and uses Salomé's loudspeaker to grab everyone's attention. The bear dumps Isaac and Miria and runs over to Claire and scoops him up onto its back. Through the loudspeaker, Claire informs Chané that he loves her no matter what she's going through, and then informs all the combatants that if they want to fight him they can fight him tomorrow, when he'll be guarding a certain room at Ra's Lance during the casino party. Tensions spike and 'battle lines' are designated: Those affiliated with Huey and the Runorata Family, including Salomé and the Lamia, Claire and Chané, and the twins ... and those against, including Luck's assassins, Ladd and Graham, and (sort of) Victor, Isaac, and Miria. And Chris (shockingly).

With 'teams' designated, everyone scatters.

1936
(From the Drama CD: Firo Prochainezo Witnesses the 53rd Death of Pietro Gonzales.)

In the Summer of 1936, Isaac and Miria travel to Mexico in pursuit of the Mexican Revolution. When they arrive in San Miguel they ask a stranger where they can find the Revolution. The passerby says that the Revolution ended a long time ago, at which Isaac asks if the revolution can truly end. The stranger remarks that Isaac's question is very philosophical, and Isaac and Miria tell him they want to see men fighting. The man decides that third-rate guerillas will suffice and points them in the direction they're looking for.

Isaac and Miria have a conversation with another man who is very hard of hearing, leading to several puns. The man finally figures out that maybe they're looking for Baro, and he tells them to head to Antonio Baro's theatre down the road. The man at the theatre door asks for an offering before they can enter to witness the Miracle, and Isaac and Miria are very confused because they've come in search of the Revolution, not a Miracle. The man says that the miracle is revolutionary in its own way, and Isaac and Miria can't argue with that (although what does he mean by offering?).

The two take their seats inside and watch the performance, which culminates in the beheading of a man called Pietro and his subsequent revival thanks to the prayers of his friend Dominico. Isaac and Miria are very impressed by the variety of revolutions in the world and resolve to go visit Pietro and Dominico backstage. And they'd like to meet Baro too (they accidentally call him roba, which means 'donkey'). They go talk to one of Baro's flunkies, and the flunky goes to Baro's office and tells him that an American couple is here to see him (and Pietro and Dominico want to talk with him as well). Baro is uninterested until the man says they've been referring to him as roba, and Baro grabs his flunky and has him recite all the fates Baro has ever incurred on those who ever called him roba (which are all drownings) before he agrees to let the two in.

Isaac and Miria predictably call Baro roba a world-breaking record number of times in the span of a minute, telling him that they loved his revolution and that he'd be a big hit in New York. The furious Baro tells his flunky to lock them up and that he intends to have them drowned in the ocean. The two are thrown into the dungeon where Pietro, Dominico and Firo are currently locked up. Pietro and Dominico take two minutes before they are convinced that Isaac and Miria are who they say they are (they'd known them from New York) and Firo broaches the topic of escape. He is, of course, misunderstood.

It takes him an hour to straighten things out. They hear gunshots from above, and Firo realizes that if they can hear the gunshots this clearly it must mean that the ceiling is thin enough to break through. He tells the four with him to listen for the thinnest part of the ceiling. Pietro and Dominico don't understand him but Isaac and Miria do, and they are the ones that find the spot. They punch at the ceiling, which proceeds to cave in. Baro falls into the cell - he'd been fighting with Luck Gandor in the room above. Luck (it isn't clear whether Luck falls in as well) considers killing Piietro and Dominico, but Firo holds him off.

The six of them -- Luck, Firo, Pietro, Dominico, Isaac, and Miria - head out to the desert where Luck and Firo's car is parked, Baro in tow. Their getaway is thwarted when Baro's lover Elita appears and lassos Pietro and Dominico, followed by Isaac and Miria. Firo and Luck have no choice but to release Baro; Elita's men shoot Firo and Luck dead once Baro returns to them. Isaac and Miria pass out in horror.

In the aftermath, Pietro and Dominico tell Firo that they plan to head south. Isaac and Miria say that they plan to leave too, to keep watching their revolution.

2001
In the summer of 2001, Isaac realizes for the first time that he and Miria aren't aging. He doesn't know how or why this is happening, but he's sure that at this rate they'll have to attend the funerals of all their friends. "Those who live forever are always the most unfortunate." Miria says that she doesn't want that, and he says that it's okay - loved ones die all the time even if you live a normal life. Not to mention, if he and Miria grieve for their own misfortune they'd be doing the dead a disservice. After all, the fact that they're sad about the dead just means that they gave us many times more happiness while they were alive!

Isaac references a Shinto custom of ringing a large bell one hundred and eight times on New Year's Eve - each ring for every impure thought blocking one's way to Nirvana. Except - Isaac misunderstands the custom and tells Miria that she has to ring the bell 108 times in order for a person to be born again. They know that they'll be reborn! So instead of just watching people die, he and Miria should enjoy life with the new people coming into the world. Miria understands: in that case, their sadness and happiness cancel each other out. Isaac declare that that's why they have to enjoy every new meeting even more. The two decide to string 108 bells onto their clothes (54 each) to show their determination. Thanks to them, new people will be born again all the time! Every day is like a birthday! Then every day is a party! "Yay! Happy Birthday, Isaac!"

2002
In the summer of 2002, Isaac and Miria are watching a television special on Marie Antoinette's wedding in the Alveare when Miria asks Isaac what the time limit is on a honeymoon. Isaac says that there isn't one. A honeymoon is the first vacation you take together after the wedding. "No matter how long it's been?" asks Miria. Of course, replies Isaac. After all, two people in love will never run out of new things to discover together. Miria exclaims that that means Firo and Ennis are still good to go, and Firo spits out his liquor. Randy, Pezzo and the other Martillos burst out into laughter when they realize that Firo still hasn't gone on his honeymoon.

Firo tries to deal with the teasing, and an unusually serious Miria points out that although Ennis might not say anything, she watches really closely whenever "stuff like that" (weddings and honeymoons) airs on TV.

Isaac and Miria are at the Alveare watching the television with the Martillos. They're excited to see Entrance on the screen, and Isaac points out to Miria that Entrance is the cruise liner that Firo, Ennis and Firo are vacationing on. Isaac bets that one could fit a hundred Yankee Stadiums inside it. The two's conversation devolves into absurdity.

2003
(This scene appears in 2001: The Children of Bottle)

In early February 2003, the Phil/Felt Nibil vessel talks to Isaac and Miria in the Alveare and relates to them the events of 2001 The Children of Bottle; that is, how they came to know Elmer C. Albatross and how through Elmer they were eventually able to leave their home village.

Once the story is over, Isaac and Miria express their desire to meet Elmer and the wish-granting 'demon'. Though Felt/Phil finds the couple strange, they hope that they'll have the chance to meet Isaac and Miria again someday.

Felt/Phil requests that Isaac and Miria give Elmer Felt's regards should the duo meet Elmer before that time, and also ask that Isaac and Miria inform Elmer that Felt is happy, despite everything. Felt/Phil also promises to remember Isaac's and Miria's names.

Abilities
They both individually possess true immortality, meaning they cannot age, get sick, be injured, or die via conventional means. Immortality aside, they possess an endlessly large amount of good luck, having escaped numerous dangerous situations throughout the series without serious injury (taking them roughly seventy years to realize they were immortal).

The two are actually quite competent thieves, despite what one might think. The fact that they broke into the Genoard mansion and successfully stole a fortune is proof in itself of their abilities.

They have stolen plenty of cars to use in their getaways, and thus have some technical experience with automobiles (evidenced when Isaac fiddles with Ennis' car and starts its engine in 1930). The two also rely upon a powdered mixture of lime and pepper as an offensive tool during their heists.

Trivia

 * Isaac is a big fan of detective novels, such as the Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot stories.
 * Isaac was flustered at Molsa's apology because apparently it was the first time someone older than Isaac - much less someone with Molsa's dignity - had apologized to him.
 * In the original Japanese, Ladd refers to Isaac as Isaac-chan.
 * They resemble the real-life thief duo Bonnie and Clyde to a more ridiculous extent, as Bonnie and Clyde's attempts at organized crime often went hilariously awry.
 * Numerous publications in various media have been written on the subject of Isaac and Miria's characters. Most described them as the most entertaining characters and commented on how the series would not be the same without them. One reviewer felt that they are the protagonists of the series, which features an ensemble cast. They were awarded "Duo of the Year" in 2009 by Anime News Network.
 * Isaac and Miria appear in the series' two drama CDs, where they survive the Flying Pussyfoot incident in 1931: Local Chapter and Express Chapter of The Grand Punk Railroad and hope to meet true revolutionaries in a small Mexican village when Firo Prochainezo witnesses the 53rd death of Pietro Gonzalez.
 * They are playable characters in the video game and characters in the two-volume manga.
 * They are used in the anime series to comment during the preview of the next episode; though their observations aren't usually very perceptive.
 * The pair also made a brief appearance in an episode of the Durarara!! anime series, during which they are in modern-day Ikebukuro, Tokyo and attend the first meeting of the Dollars, an anonymous online gang. This seems to settle a debate over whether the worlds of Baccano! and Durarara!! are connected. They also appeared in the following OVA episode seperate from the main series, where they comment on the supposed UFOs seen shooting across the sky. These are actually yakuza members covered in paint that were thrown out a three story window by Heiwajima Shizuo.