57 Crill & Co

After the announcement of both sides all of the children had run off to register. Lydis was making her way down the platform when Bennox appeared at her side.

"Hello! Isn't it great that we could meet like this?" Bennox flashed his best smile possible, without stretching his face too much. Lydis glanced at Bennox and simply returned his words with a nod. Unfazed, Bennox continued to ramble on about how he and Owen had found the side passage, omitting the part where he followed after her and his weak moments.

As Bennox continued to bother Lydis he didn't notice the increasing number of kids surrounding them. Although they weren't dressed nicely what hit Bennox first was their smell. The intense odor of month-old sweat, mold and dirt made him gag a little. Finally noticing the group of kids around him Bennox's brows furrowed.

"Shoo, go away! Your smell is intolerable. Don't you understand my words?"

At the drop of a hat Bennox's attitude and tone had flipped from fun and playful to disgusted and angry.

"Lydis, the boss wants ta ask ya som'thin."

A small boy, all bones and skin, cleared a path for Lydis. His scruffy hair and hallowed eyes resembling every other kid's at the moment.

"Why would Lydis ever go wi-?!"

Bennox was stopped short with a glance from Lydis. Turning her head forward to look at the small boy Lydis motioned with her head for him to continue.

"Let's go then. I need to speak with him as well."

Bennox tried to come with but the other kids began to close the path. He pushed and tried to follow but the kids were clingy and there were too many. Finally having had enough, Bennox stormed the other way, indifferent to who he kicked nor how hard. Sensing that he had given up the kids surrounding Bennox dwindled and he easily made his way out.

Throwing them a spiteful look over his shoulder Bennox was met with a stare from them, all of their eyes stared back at him. Though unsettling, Bennox would never allow Lydis to mingle with the 'filth' that they called their 'boss'.

Bennox moved over to the rest of the Horoscopes and began to mingle with them.

Lydis watched this unfold out of the corner of her eye. The corners of her mouth curled slightly.

The small boy continued to lead Lydis through the slum kids. Occasionally she would encounter a patch of kids that didn't smell at all. Thinking back to Jedd, Lydis had to hold in her laugh at his futile attempts at removing their stench. A couple of bottles wouldn't do much against months and layers of grime.

Finally they reached the middle. Just like last time it was a big circle surrounding one person. Noticing that Lydis had arrived the boy in the middle looked up from something in his hands.

"Glad you could make it."

*hmph* "What did you need? Something important?"

"Oh no, not really. Just helping out of mutual interests."

Lydis eyed Crill but eventually stopped. In reality he had helped her a bit, just a bit when the slum kids got rid of Bennox. Suddenly an idea popped into her mind.

"Look at this."

Rolling up her sleeve Lydis revealed the lifelike coiling snake bracelet.

"Oh that's really well made. Looks like it could come alive at any moment. Let me see."

Lydis extended her arm and let Crill examine the snake. Turning her wrist side to side and looking at it from below he seemed to have and answer yet looked confused at the same time. Pointing to the snake's eyes he tapped them once.

"I'm pretty sure these eyes are like a tracking device. The carving and wiring suggest backup circuitry inside of it so it's not hallow. Is it heavy? Can you take it off?"

Lydis tried to twist and wriggle her hand out but the bracelet stayed on.

"Looks like I can't. Every time I try to pull it the bracelet feels like it's getting smaller but when I release it goes back to normal. It's also reasonably light."

"If it's like that then it should be pretty durable. For everyday wear and use it has to last. The material looks like BT-03. It's a type of metal easily produced in the larger cities for scabbards, machines, weapons, armor, pretty much anything."

"And how do you know so much?" Lydis raised one eyebrow slightly.

Crill shrugged.

"When you live in the slums and want to sell things, know their value before so you don't get scammed. I've picked up a few things here and there."

"Well, what makes you think it's a tracker?"

"This. Every now and then the eyes look different right? That's because they're shifting to follow a satellite up there." The boy pointed upwards and Lydis followed his finger.

"Again, why do you know so much?"

"Trade secret."

Lydis dismissed his comment. If it really was a tracking device then why would they need to track her? Had she drawn too much attention? Did the school find out about her behavior on the border? Maybe, it was the rabbit…

Sighing loudly, Lydis's eyebrows became tightly knit together. There were too many variables to think about, especially with her death soon approaching. Two months, two more months and then her soul would explode. Life couldn't be any better for Lydis.

*sigh* "I'm in room two-thirty-nine. If you need anything have one of your goons come and find me. Although, I would prefer if all of you properly cleaned yourselves next time we meet."

Crill smirked but didn't really mind. They would definitely take advantage of the dorm's utilities to the fullest. Free meals, a warm roof and a chance to learn. This one opportunity had given them hope for a better future. Even when the future seemed impossible to grasp, even if they were beaten half to death, they would still crawl to the academy and fight for a chance to change their fate.

"Alright. In the future you'll owe me one so even if I make a member of the Horoscopes angry they wouldn't dare do anything."

Lydis thought about it and shrugged.

"When children grow, they become unpredictable."

"Why do you talk like you're not a child either?"

Lydis only smiled and whispered.

"Trade secret."

Crill took the hit and acted as if Lydis had actually punched him. Holding his shoulder and groaning, Crill put on a playful act.

"Oh, the master is truly undefeatable!"

Lydis scoffed at Crill's actions. Although she did enjoy his acting he had said something interesting.

"Master? Why would you call me that?"

"That is because I've chosen to devote my life to you! Our savior!" Crill began to act like a hopeless fanatic. His exaggerated facial expressions and the way he said his words were obvious signs of Crill just messing around. As Crill continued to speak words of praise Lydis decided to jump in as well.

"If I am the master, then you are just a jester, so dance."

Surprised at Lydis joining, Crill froze for a moment before continuing his act. This time his voice was even louder.

"Dance! A dance it is!"

Raising his arms, Crill motioned for all the slum kids to join in. Not really sure of what to do, Theda started to swing and dance around the children. Her laughter instantly easing the mood and soon, all the slum kids began to twirl and dance. Although they did so without much coordination the kids made sure to maintain a circle around Lydis and Crill.

Soon their laughter echoed all over the room. The nobles and commoners looked at the dancing slum kids with distaste. Could it be that they were too overjoyed at finally having people to leech off of? Or did the slum kids finally go crazy? Everyone averted their eyes as they didn't want to look at the slum kid's madness any longer. As the dancing grew more wild the circle widened.

In the middle of the chaotic dancing Crill stopped twirling and crouched low to the floor, his body hidden by the sea of other children. Lydis followed suit at the same time.

"Lydis, here. A message from our previous caretaker. They said your eyes only."

Lydis reached for the small note and realized that it was the paper Crill was looking at before her arrival. Taking the crumpled not Lydis noticed the sweet smell coming from it, almost like flowers.

"Is that all?"

"Yeah. If anything else comes up I'll have Theda deliver it since she truly worships you." Crill jumped up and quickly made two hand motions with his left hand. One was a quick flick of three fingers while the second was an open palm quickly curling clockwise.

Slowly the rapid dancing began to part, just enough for Lydis to walk through comfortably. Crill watched as Lydis made her way through calmly.

"I hope this wasn't a mistake. I really, truly hope that this is the turning point for us." Another small boy appeared next to Crill. It looked like the one who had led Lydis there.

"Boss, we all trust you. Even if ya were ta lead us all to our deaths, we would never desert you."

Crill looked at the other small boy with a sad smile.

"Even if death came for me personally I wouldn't die."

"Crill, save your false bravado for people who care."

"W-what do you mean? Didn't you just say you'll follow me even in death? Right Qian?"

Qian's eyes narrowed but his smile showed his true feelings. After a pause they couldn't hold in their laughter. Laughing, both boys patted each other's backs and re-entered the wild ring of dancers around them.