Chapter 53 - Now, Isnt this Fun? (1/2)

Owen and Bennox had only seen a little of what Bianca did. Since they were too occupied worrying about each other. When Senri had screamed out they watched as Bianca beat her ruthlessly.

”She's pretty scary huh?” Owen looked over at Bennox and tried to cheer him up but his friend just started at Bianca blankly. Bennox mumbled something under his breath.

”She's close but not quite the same...”

”Huh? What'd you say?” Owen perked his head and tried to look cute.

”Nothing, and stop that will you? You're not cute.” Bennox put one hand over Owen's face but Owen used his face to push Bennox's hand away.

”Ha ha. Now what do we do?” Bennox pondered it for a bit before spotting a few large cubes against the wall.

”Let's sit on those for a bit.”

”Okay.” Bennox and Owen shifted towards the cubes. Behind them Bianca and Javier traded words like knives, each warning the other indirectly while testing them as well.

Owen set Bennox on the cube and started to wipe off the dried blood with Bianca's shawl.

”You know I can do it myself right?” Owen flinched.

”I-I do, it's just that I'm trying to repay the favor, from back there…” Bennox smiled warmly at Owen.

”I didn't do it to gain a favor from you, I was just trying to protect my friend.” Owen's stiff face softened and he laughed as well.

”Ha ha, yeah… what am I doing anyway? Getting scared of a girl?” Bennox took the shawl from Owen and began lightly rubbing the blood, careful to not pull any of the wounds open again.

”I wouldn't really call it being 'scared', more like embarrassed.” Although Bennox's voice was slightly muffled under the shawl, Owen pretended to not hear it. After hearing no response from Owen, Bennox stopped rubbing and moved the shawl from his face. All he saw was Owen's back turned to him, running away in the direction they came from. Confused, Bennox shifted himself over and saw Javier and Bianca fighting, Bianca losing.

Bennox tried to get up but his legs just wouldn't move like he wanted them to. He pinched and hit his legs but something in them had already worn down. Realizing that it was useless to injure himself further, sighing Bennox watched as his friend held true to his morals.

”Sorry Owen. Looks like I can't help you this time. Although it's good to know that you hadn't changed much from when we first met...”

Back in the slums Bennox and Owen had only been six when they met each other. Bennox was a slightly known child thief and Owen who was just dumped there recently. Like most of the orphans dumped in the slums their parents had abandoned them for various reasons, Owen's was that his family already had a better son to inherit his father's farm so they didn't need another mouth to feed.

It was the day Bennox had just scored a huge catch by robbing an old noble lady who came to 'adopt' young children often. They would go with her, blinded by the promise of food, clothes, luxury and more importantly, family. Then they disappeared. When officials go to her and ask why she always uses the same excuse. 'Those ungrateful brats simply ran away'. Though not many believed her, money was power.

As young Bennox ran away laughing the old noble was shrieking madly.

”Catch that thief!” Her guards rushed forward but Bennox knew the slums better than they did. Eventually he lost them.

”Bleh. Those old guys can't catch me. Not even the guards in the slum can! How can a few fatties catch up?” He laughed to himself. ”Let's see how much the hag had on her…” When he opened the money purse there was only a few silver slips and a handful of bronze ones.

*tch* ”Guess today wasn't her buying day. Must've only been looking for new ones.” Bennox tied the purse to a string around his chest under his baggy shirt. As he did something in the bag caught his eye. Hidden behind a silver slip was a small piece of paper. He pulled it out.

”We've got your favorite this time. Black hair, blue eyes and only six. Bring the money and he's yours”

Bennox crumpled the note angrily.