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[Light]

Jean slowly walks out of the room, flexing his aching fingers. He seemed just as determined to learn the letters she showed them, if not more than the other children in the room. Looking up at her he ducks his head a bit, "Bye Miss Xia,"

[CrimsonMoon]

She smiles down at him, pattin his head," Are your parents coming?" She asks gently, glancing up a the backs of other parents

[Light]

"I don't have any," he answers while looking back up at her, "Why?"

[CrimsonMoon]

She blinks at him and then sympathetically," do you need a place to stay or...?" She trails off. Xia knew what it was like to be an orphan..

[Light]

"No," he quickly shakes his head, "I-I have to get back to the ship--Cap'n.. Cap'n takes care of me," he swallows and takes a small step back, "W-when's tha' next class?"

[CrimsonMoon]

She frowns faintly but murmurs," tommorrow, same time..." She pauses and gazes at the little boy before her," What kind of 'care' does he... Give you?"

[Light]

"Cap'n is... Cap'n gives me food and clothes and lets me work on his ship. H-he..." He scratches at his neck and ducks his head back down, "I be here 'morrow, if we still here."

[CrimsonMoon]

She frowns but leans down and kisses his head," See yo tommorrow Jean, don't hesitate to talk to me, mk?"

[Light]

HE waits a moment before nodding his head reluctantly, "I will, promise."

[CrimsonMoon]

Xia smiles gently and muses," Run along now, get to your ship before dark,"

[Light]

Jean's eyes widen a bit, and he looks up at the sky turning away, "Bye!" he hollers while running down the street.

[CrimsonMoon]

" bye!" She calls and smiles as she wavesafter him

[Light]

TIME . SKIP

The talking had begun in the morning. a child had been murdered--how they didn't say, not until everyone else knew and the whole town couldn't shut up about it. He had been hung upside down and nailed to a building, a black X smeared across his face. His chest had been torn open, and the knowledgeable ones said his heart was missing; as were his forefingers.

[CrimsonMoon]

When Xia heard of this, she immediately canceled lessons.. The children would be safer at their homes.. She hurried into the town, asking who the child was and where they were... She had a horrible feeling...

[Light]

"I wouldn't go look at him Miss Xia..." A quiet voice calls from behind her. It was Jean--his messy hair pushes back out from his eyes and a thick part of his hair underneath his ear braided. It hasn't been yesterday--but then again, his right eye hadn't black and swollen like a plum either. "I lost all 'me bread when I passed 'bah,"

[CrimsonMoon]

She turns around and immediately croches in front of the boy and hugs him tightly," Oh thank god you're safe..." She sighs and examines his face, her hands on his shoulder,".. Did yo get into a fight?"

[Light]

"No I uh, just, wrong end of the stick. We got woke up and everything this morn' by some knights saying we weren't allowed to leave port. Cap'n said they could stick it somewhere and one of them hit me with somethin' when I tried to slip past." He covers his eyes wincing a bit, "Not'in too bad."

[CrimsonMoon]

She frowns and murmurs," Come on, i'm going to clean you up..."

[Light]

"Cleaned up?" He echoes mirroring her frown. "A-aight... I really don't need ta though,"

[CrimsonMoon]

" Oooh yes you do, come on," she chuckles and pulls him along, looking wary.. How could someone kill a hild...?