Moira

After the children had left the martial arts hall, Heero waved his hand at the worried Xu Lingxun.

Yes, ever since the boy had entered the hall, he had looked hesitant and troubled. But he still obediently approached his master.

As soon as Xu Lingxun was in front of him, Heero pulled the cloak. Revealing the mutant child hidden beneath the cloak.

He had suspected this since Xu Lingxun entered the hall. He had also heard from the other children that Xu Lingxun was trying to protect the mutant child from the mutant adult.

Coupled with Xu Lingxun's worried look and the bulging cape on his back, he knew everything from the start.

So he sent his other disciples away under the pretext of punishment. Even though he had explained that the mutant was also human, it was not the right time to let the children face the actual mutant. Their minds were still heavily influenced by the doctrine that mutants were monsters.

The mutant child trembled under Heero's gaze. She was afraid of Heero even though he only looked at her.

She had dark blue skin, two fangs on her lips, and her arms were covered in purple snake scales.

"I'm sorry, Master! I can't just let her die out there, I..." Afraid that Heero would be angry, Xu Lingxun tried to explain nervously. But little words came out of his mouth.

"N-no! D-don't b-blame this big brother. D-don't hurt him, he helped me. P-please don't hurt him. It was my fault... Y-you can hand me over to the government, but don't hurt him..."

Suddenly, the mutant child was speaking for Xu Lingxun. She thought Heero would get angry and hit or do something to Xu Lingxun, so she begged him.

"Don't worry, I won't hurt him or hand you over to anyone" Heero smiled softly. At the same time, his pupils turned blue.

He did a quick scan of the mutant child through the Mystic Eyes.

"R-really? B-but I am a mutant..." She spoke with an expression, "I'm dangerous, you know!" that was cute in Heero's eyes.

"I know!" Heero nodded, still with his gentle expression.

The little girl was still doubtful and continued curiously, "I'm a mutant, a monster! Aren't you afraid of me?"

This time the little girl spoke softly. Blinking a few times, the little girl met Heero's eyes.

"You are not a monster, but a sweet little girl in my eyes," Heero rubbed the little girl's sticky hair.

At first the mutant child flinched and tried to move away from Heero's hand. But she decided to stay still. And somehow it calmed her when Heero stroked her. Like a puppy longing for love.

"Master, you..." Xu Lingxun was shocked by Heero's behaviour. He thought he would be scolded for bringing the mutant child back.

After all, the Hero League had decreed that mutants were forbidden to enter the city. Bringing a mutant into the city meant that he had broken the law and that could mean trouble for his master.

"Let's talk later! Wash her and clean her wound!" Heero pointed to the little girl's feet.

"After that, take her to the roof. We need to treat the wound before it gets worse. Go! I will wait for you on the roof!"

He urged his disciple to get the little girl to wash her body. But Xu Lingxun hesitated, his cheeks flushed.

"What is it? Are you sick?" Heero put his hand on Xu Lingxun's head before shaking it.

"You're fine. What's wrong with you?"

"Master, I'm a man and she's a girl..." Xu Lingxun did not finish his words, but Heero understood what he was implying.

Heero rolled his eyes and slapped Xu Lingxun's head, "What are you thinking? She's at most eight years old, how can you have such a thought to an eight year old little girl"

"I'm seven," the little girl said.

"See, she is even seven. How old are you? You're only thirteen, how can you have a dirty thought when you're only thirteen? Just go and wash her already!" Heero pushed the boy out.

As for the little girl, she giggled for the first time, while Xu Lingxun embarrassedly picked up the cloak. He covered the little girl and left for his hostel.

After the duo left, Heero's smile faded and was replaced by a sad sigh.

"Such a little girl, but she has to suffer..."

*** ***

Thirty minutes later, on the roof of the Miao Miao noodle shop

Heero waited with a frown on his face for his student's arrival. He had found the cause of the mutation. The grey energy that usually mixed with the coloured energy was the cause of the mutation.

The grey energy integrated into their flesh and the mutation was the side effect. The grey energy was also the reason why the mutant's body was much stronger than a normal human's.

"No wonder they couldn't find the cause..." Heero muttered as he suddenly realised.

"They" in his mouth were the scientists who could not find the cause of the mutation. After all, their technology could not detect those energies, so it was impossible to find the cause of the mutation.

Heero could actually solve the problem, it was quite easy for him. All he had to do was extract the grey energy from the girl's flesh.

It was easy for him, but he was not cruel enough to do that to the little girl. Extracting the grey energy that had become a part of the girl's body meant that the little girl had to endure tremendous pain.

It was almost no different from having her flesh ripped from her body. That such a little girl had to suffer so much pain made Heero feel very sad.

Besides, he could not wait until the little girl grew up to extract the grey energy. It would be too late.

While he was thinking about this, the door creaked open. Xu Lingxun came out with the little girl on his back.

As soon as they reached the rooftop, the little girl unconsciously pushed away the cloak that covered her. She looked around, her amber eyes glittering with excitement.

"Beautiful..." The little girl murmured in a low voice, her eyes glued to a Luminous Hyacinth.

As she did so, the little girl sucked in the air greedily. It was the first time in her life that she had breathed such clean and refreshing air.

Subconsciously, tears streamed down her cheeks as she cried in regret, "If only Mummy is here... if only Mummy is here..."

She repeated the same words while crying, causing Xu Lingxun to panic.

"What's wrong, Moira? Why are you crying? It's OK! It's okay, I'm here. No one is going to hurt you..." The panicked Xu Lingxun tried to calm the little girl, but to no avail.

Heero shook his head and took the little girl from Xu Lingxun. He hugged the little girl and stroked her back.

"It's okay~ It's okay~ Your mummy must be happy to see you arrive in such a beautiful garden."

"R-reawy? But Mummy's already dead, she can't see Moira anymore..." Moira sobbed.

"Haven't you heard? When you die, your soul flies to the sky!" Heero pointed to the bright sky.

"Your mummy is watching you from heaven, so don't cry or your mummy will be sad" he said.

"Moira doesn't want Mummy to be sad, Moira won't cry anymore," the little girl wiped away her tears and looked at the sky, "But Moira can't see Mummy..." The tears began to swell in her eyes again.

"Of course you can't see her. We humans can't see the soul, but your mummy can see us from heaven! You have to be happy so that mummy will be happy too,"

"Mummy, don't be sad, Moira is happy now. You have to be happy in heaven too!" Moira wiped away her tears and showed a beautiful smile to the sky.

"Good girl... good girl..."