"That'll be three emeralds." Xephos, even though he was younger, was responsible for the emeralds. If they weren't careful, the dwarf might just nab them and try horde them...or something. Anyway, soon they had the supplies they needed in their bags, and Honeydew had even managed to slip in a new sword for Xephos. The boy paid and soon caught up with his dwarven brother. "Come back soon!" The shop keeper called after him, to which Xephos raised a hand in good bye. Xephos walked beside Honeydew, his new sword strapped across his back. The dwarf was singing some random song he'd come up with in the mines that day, which lightened the mood. Not that it was dark. It just made it even happier. Xephos quickly dodged out of the way as some younger children ran past; one in green with a headband and the other with dark hair not too different from Xephos' own hair and glasses. He smiled, seeing the look of glee on their faces. He hadn't been with many other children, even if Honeydew acted like one. So, seeing children act like that with each other just made him smile. All this time thinking took his mind off of where he was going, causing him to crash straight into someone. He groaned, holding his head. Blinking a few times, waiting for the pain to fade, he saw a girl on the floor opposite him. She rubbed her face, an owl hat atop her head. Xephos quickly got to his feet, helping the girl up.

"I'm so sorry! I should have been paying attention!" He stumbled over his words a little. He just couldn't get over how pretty this girl was; she was even a similar age to him. The girl blushed, shaking her head.

"No, no! It's fine!" She replied. She glanced past Xephos, obviously being called. "Well, I gotta go. Sorry about that, again-" Xephos took the girl's hand, stopping her words.

"W-Would you mind telling me your name?" He asked quietly. The girl smiled, her deep blue eyes almost mirroring Xephos' own.

"Lomadia." She replied simply, before she slipped her hand from his. Xephos watched her hair flow in the wind, thinking that it made her just that more beautiful.

"I-I'm Xephos!" He called after her. Lomadia glanced back in acknowledgement, before she disappeared into the crowd. Xephos smiled, a strange feeling inside. He didn't even notice when Honeydew walked right up to his side. A sharp nudge broke him from his trance. "W-What?"

"Who's the lucky girl?" Honeydew smirked. Xephos blushed more, glancing away.

"L-Lomadia. S-She's just a girl I bumped into. Nothing m-more." He mumbled. Honeydew laughed, putting his arm round the boy.

"Ah! Now I can teach you the true ways of a dwarf!" He laughed, and Xephos groaned. This afternoon was going to be a painful one – he could just feel it.

Fingers tapped the side of a chair in irritation. Something just wasn't right. Clouded blue eyes shot up to the door when it began to open. The man was instantly on his feet, watching his hybrid friend walk through the door.

"Tell me there's something!" He growled. The hybrid walked over to his friend, gently placing a hand-flipper on his arm. The man sighed, sitting back down. He pressed his fingers against his forehead, a pounding headache beginning to form. "Tch...Something isn't right..." He muttered. His eyes flicked up to the door when a figure appeared in it. The man stood slowly, seeing the young child. "Ross..." The child slowly made his way over to his father. "What's wrong?" Ross glanced down at the floor, clenching his hand around his arm.

"...Father...can I go out?" He asked quietly, not raising his eyes from the ground. "I mean...I...I've never seen the other children. Apart from Trott and Smith. Can we...go out together?" He whispered. The King raised an eyebrow, listening to his son's request. He glanced at his advisor and friend, who just nodded. He then shifted his gaze back to the young boy.

"...I...don't see why not." Ross' eyes lit up as his father continued. "I mean, you are growing up. I'm sure the three of you together won't get into too much trouble." The King continued. Ross bowed quickly before he ran out, shouting down the hallway to his friends. The two adults watched as another hybrid and a green figure rushed past the door. The King sighed, glancing at his knight. "Was it the right idea?" He murmured.

"He would have to see his subjects eventually, my lord." The hybrid pointed out. "Besides, he needs to see the cruelties of the real world to snap out of his fantasies." The King nodded briefly, before dismissing the knight. He thought about his son, wondering what he would get up to out of his watch.

Xephos sat outside a building, waiting for Honeydew to finish. It was only adults only, though it did take a while for Honeydew to make them see he was an adult dwarf. Xephos' blue eyes lazily looked around. He could see the whole square, pretty much. There were four paths leading from the main square, and even more paths branched off of them. He stood up, deciding to go by the fountain instead of milling around outside a shop. He walked over to the fountain, watching it glisten and sparkle in the sunset. Xephos sat down on a bench beside the fountain, seeing the square from a different perspective – the centre. He leaned back on the bench, letting the sun send warmth through his body. He blinked when he heard a commotion, glancing around. Across to his right was a group of children; mainly his age or older. In the centre was a dark-haired male in fancy clothes, with a hybrid and something green standing over him protectively. From what Xephos could tell, the dark-haired male had blood on his face. He stood up, walking over to the group. As he got closer, the words became clearer.

"Go back to your fancy palace!"

"We don't want you here!"

"Yeah! You're the reason my parents are never home!" The shouts got louder as Xephos got closer. He soon realised that the child in fancy clothes must come from the palace, even being the King's son himself. He watched as they scratched and bit and threw stones at the three, each now baring several wounds.

"Hey, knock it off." Xephos called. The children standing turned around to face him. They then scrammed, leaving the three shivering and shaking on the ground. The dark-haired boy was in the centre, being protected by the hybrid and green boy. Xephos knelt beside the three. "What was that about?" He asked quietly. His eyes met with the ice blue of the boy's, and something felt...strange. Neither of them said anything, leaving the hybrid to start.

"W-We just wanted to play."

"They started hurting us when we said we wanted to." The green boy continued. "They w-were mean and wouldn't let us play..." Xephos blinked. He knew that people from the palace usually had bad reputations, but surely the children weren't the same?

"Can you get up?" He asked. The two who spoke could, but their third could not. When he attempted, his legs screamed with pain. This lead to the hybrid and green boy helping him by practically carrying him. Xephos took the three to the fountain, and dipped some rag he happened to have in it. He got the two to lay the dark-haired male on the bench, before he sat beside him. "Now, this is going to hurt. So, be brave, ok?" He slowly nodded. Xephos started dabbing the rag on the various cuts on his face, the boy wincing with every one. The two tensed, glancing around nervously as if something would come and get them. Xephos then moved down to look at his legs, wondering what had caused him so much pain. As he ran his hands down them, the boy cried out. The three flinched, Xephos immediately removing his hands. "I-I'm sorry!" He kept his hands away from the boy's legs. He gently moved the boy's hands from his stomach, noticing a bruise forming. Xephos made a make-shift icepack, of sorts, pressing it onto the bruise. "Keep your hands on this." The boy nodded slowly, placing his hands on the icepack. Xephos then turned to the other two. He quickly tended to their wounds; they were not as severe as the boy's, even though they seemed to protect him. Xephos didn't really know what to do now. He had tried to help as much as he could, but there wasn't much else he could do. He glanced up when he heard Honeydew call his name.

"Xephos! There you are!" The dwarf walked over, standing beside the four. "What are you...?" His voice trailed off, noticing the insignia on the boy's clothes. "...Odd. Why would the King let his son go out alone?" He murmured. Honeydew glanced at the hybrid and green boy. "Or, even go out with just some other kids?" He glanced at Xephos. "Do you know who these are, Xephos?" Xephos nodded.

"I don't care." The two flinched in shock, the boy too wounded to move much. "They're just boys, Honeydew. Just like me. I'd guess even my age." Xephos glanced at the boy. "...So it doesn't matter about heritage or anything. It's what's inside that counts." He murmured. He then realised something, blinking. "I-I never introduced myself. My name's Xephos." Xephos looked at the three boys – well, one 'normal' boy, one green boy and a hybrid.

"I'm Alsmiffy. Just call me Smith, though." The green boy winked, smirking as he did.

"I'm Trottimus. I prefer Trott." The hybrid did an elaborate bow, which was a little awkward due to his physique. This just caused Smith to laugh, earning a glare from said hybrid. Xephos' eyes moved down to the boy on the bench. Something was...different about him. He couldn't quite put his finger on what, though. The boy noticed Xephos looking at him, coughing once.

"R-Ross..." He barely whispered, his eyes rolling into the back of his head. Smith and Trott became concerned, watching as his eyes closed. Before Xephos could even do anything, Honeydew felt for a pulse. He nodded, showing he was alive. Just unconscious from the ordeal he had endeavoured.

"...Now, I think it's time you three went home." He suggested calmly. "We'll come with you part of the way, just so you don't get jumped again." It was strange for the dwarf to act so calmly, especially when Xephos and Lalna had to listen to his many rants about the King and his reign. Smith and Trott nodded as Honeydew carefully lifted Ross into his arms, even if he was only a bit smaller than him. The five then began their way back to the castle as dark clouds rolled over the sky.

A/N: A little Xephmadia there ;) Also, Martyn and Toby cameo~ And of course I had to bring Hat Films into the story. I think I've hit a good mix in the fanfic of what most people like more (Yogscast) and what I like more (Hat Films). Yes, they're both Yogscast, but you get my point.