A prompt I forgot to post here several months ago, something involving Valerie & Jae-ha's past, including the first time she brought him to the Red Light! This takes place about one week after chapter 99.1 where Jae-ha finally escaped his village, meaning both him and Valerie are 12 at this time. I hope you all enjoy and if I come up with more random little bits for their past I'll post them in here ^^

Edit: Please note this was written BEFORE the fanbook came out and detailed the age Jae-ha was when he met Gigan, so I originally just guessed

"STUBBORN JERK!" Valerie shouted as she slammed the door behind her, crossing her arms in a huff.

Gigan looked up for a moment after taking a smoke from her pipe. "What the hell has gotten into you kid?"

"That stupid brat Jae-ha took off mother!" Valerie grumbled. "All I was trying to do was make him try out a new batch of shoes and he got all defensive on me! Then he kicked me away and took off to the sky again! I mean sheesh his clothes were a mess when I first met him, but we didn't have an extra pair of shoes to give and the ones he does have look like they're about to fall apart!"

"That kid does seem strange about that." Gigan shrugged, sitting back in her chair. "Let the kid be Val, maybe he doesn't want your help or just plain doesn't trust us."

"Hey he's the one that begged you to stay here mother." Valerie pursed her lips into a frown. "But ever since then he just mopes around and acts like he's the only one that's had a horrible life before coming here. I just think someone needs to kick his ass to realize the world doesn't revolve around him and we're not the assholes he ran away from."

"Well he's awful tight lipped about where he came from." Gigan pointed out. "And when we caught a glimpse of that leg of his he went into a panic attack, remember? I mean after all the brat didn't even know how money works that's how you found him, getting scolded by the merchants for not paying for food."

"Do you really think he's one of those dragons from the legends mother?" Valerie asked, ever since Jae-ha arrived in town last week she had been wondering this herself when she saw that green on his exposed leg due to his pants being all torn up. "But why did he have those broken chains on him then? I would think those kind of guys would be worshiped like gods."

"Not everyone think of the gods are something to praise my dear." Gigan sighed as she took another puff from her pipe. "He could have been on the slave trade market, paraded around as an attraction, or even just used with that jumping ability, who knows? Going by the look of his beaten-up face when you brought him here I'd say he put up a fight escaping wherever it was."

"But we're trying to help him and he just doesn't trust us I guess…" Valerie sighed and shook her head.

"Give him time Val, you weren't exactly trusting of me when I first took you in either." Gigan pointed out with a smirk. "And I recall you being a rather stubborn brat."

The strawberry blonde blushed slightly. "… I was younger, so I had an excuse to be a stupid brat. He seems to be the same age as me, mother."

The captain laughed at that. "Just let it be for now Val, I'm sure he'll come around… If not he'll find out I'll kick his ass and not take his crap."

Valerie laughed at her adoptive mother's reasoning, then headed to bed for the night. She was unaware that Jae-ha had returned to the ship they lived on in the middle of the night, who was avoiding Valerie due to their argument earlier.

"The captain's been looking for you, kid." Rowen brought up, he was in the crow's nest for the night. "Also what did you do to get under Valerie's skin so badly?"

"…. She was being annoying… And thanks…" Jae-ha replied, looking to the side in slight shame. He didn't mean to lash out at her earlier just… She touched THAT leg and was about to expose his dragon foot, something he didn't want anyone to see. It had caused so much trouble in his village and the last thing he wanted was for anyone to see it, with any risk he'd be dragged back to that awful village… He couldn't bare the thought. But he had been racking his brain how to apologize to Valerie for a while now, but he really had no clue.

The Green Dragon sighed as he strolled over to Valerie's quarters, his hand frozen in the air as he was attempting to knock when he heard a scream. Without thinking he rushed into the room and saw Valerie tossing and turning in her bed, holding her head as if in pain.

"No! Get away! Don't touch me!" she shouted, tears streaming down her cheeks from the night terror.

"Valerie! What's wrong? Nobody's here…" Jae-ha looked around the room and was completely confused, so he came over and grabbed her shoulders. "Wake up, it's just a dream- OW!" she had punched him right in the face. "… WAKE UP!" he shouted, shaking her until her eyes opened with fear.

"….." Valerie was speechless for a moment, taking in her surroundings as her eyes were still watering. "… Jae-ha…? Oh… I…." she was slowly realizing what happened and saw his reddened cheek. "Oh my god I didn't mean to I-"

Jae-ha shook his head. "It's fine… I'm used to being hit harder actually." He chuckled lightly, surprised how he could make a joke of his usual beatings from Garou.

"Valerie are you ok?" Gigan came rushing in and blinked with surprise when she saw Jae-ha there.

Seeing that Valerie's mother walked into this situation the Ryokuryuu quickly withdrew his hands and held them up defensively. "L-look captain she was screaming and I just came to check on her that's all! I didn't-"

"… He woke me up." Valerie finished for him. "… Thank you Jae-ha."

"…. Sorry about earlier…" he muttered.

She giggled at the slight blush on his cheeks. "Already forgiven, at least you proved you're somewhat of a gentleman."

Jae-ha didn't reply, instead he stepped out of the room and just stared out at the sky while wandering the ship. He was curious as to why Valerie lashed out like that and what scared her so bad but he didn't want to press, after all he himself hadn't been too forward with his past… But that's when he felt a hand on his shoulder that made him jolt.

"You look lost brat, come here." Gigan said, escorting him to the room that she had arranged for him. "Valerie suffers from night terrors of her past when she was a slave in the Kai Empire."

"What?" Jae-ha's eyes widened in shock. "B-but why was she…?"

"I'm not really her mother, well not her birth mother. You could say I adopted her, that's why she has the privilege of calling me that." Gigan chuckled, as she had often scolded the rest of their group to not call her their mother since she didn't give birth to them. "Her parents were killed when she was only a few years old, her and her baby brother were sold off to be slaves. She never saw that little brother again, doesn't even have an idea where he is. I found her on one of the trade ships that was heading to Kumji's operation here and rescued her." She sighed and shook her head. "… But even then she's still haunted by the things those bastards did to her, it comes up every now and again. You're not the only one here with a tragic past or abuse."

"… I never said I was-" Jae-ha tried to protest, but the captain grabbed his wrist and pulled back the sleeve, showing the reddened skin that was just starting to heal since they got his chains off, and it was leaving scars on his skin.

"I've only seen markings like this on slaves and people who were in chains for years. So don't even try to lie brat, it's obvious you were locked up for some reason and that's just not normal to do to a child." Gigan reasoned. "You won't tell us a thing about where you came from and I respect that, you need to learn how to trust people in your own time. I know Valerie can be a bit pushy about getting her way but she just wanted to help you and show that you're safe here. Whoever the hell hurt you and locked you away aren't going to take you back, they have to fight through us first kid." She smirked. "Trust me the bastards that tried to take Valerie back learned quickly to give up."

"… They'd have to be senile to fight you…" Jae-ha murmured as he'd seen the captain take out one of the guards that tried to hurt him and Valerie once. He then sighed and looked away. "… It's just… I know you said you accepted me for the freak I am but… This leg is a curse. This blood is a curse. One day someone might come here and try to take me back to…" he bit his lip before saying much more. "I don't want it, I don't want to be kept away from the sky anymore. But there's so much I just don't understand or know how to do because they kept me locked up for so long I feel just as stupid as he used to say when…" he balled his fist just thinking about the things the villagers and Garou said about him.

Gigan just pulled the youth into a hug, patting him on the back. "Well you know what the easiest way to prove you're not stupid? Ask for some help and learn from experience, explain why things bother you and not just snap or punch people. Nobody is forcing you to stay here Jae-ha, hell you asked me to stay because you said you have no idea where to go. But I don't run a charity here and even Val must pull her weight and follow my rules." She then released the boy. "And I won't tolerate you two fighting, as Val does have a point those shoes look ready to fall off your feet."

Jae-ha pursed his lips as he looked down, the captain was right his worn-out shoes were looking ready to fall apart if he put too much stress on them with enough jumps. "…. I just don't like… People staring at it, it's an ugly thing and…" he grumbled.

"Well it's that or buy something blind since we don't know what will fit you kid." Gigan shrugged. "Maybe if you wrapped it up in something it'll be less noticeable?" she suggested.

"Wrap it up?" the boy blinked in confusion.

"I'll show you what I mean when I try to find something that'll fit." The captain pat his shoulder. "Now get some rest kid, in the morning I need you and Val to run me an errand."

Jae-ha twisted his mouth at that, worried he could get into another fight with Valerie….

The two got up early the next morning and headed into the shopping district of Awa immediately, both were silent until Jae-ha chose to be the one to speak up. "… So does that happen to you often…?"

Valerie stopped in her tracks and turned around, hand on her hip with her eyes narrowed. "Considering you barely speak a word of your issues you have a lot of nerve asking me a question like that." She replied rather snappish.

Jae-ha bit his lip when he wanted to just growl at her for the snap, but he felt he kind of deserved it for being so secretive what his problem was. Recalling what Captain Gigan said to him, he sighed and rubbed his wrist. "… That leg was the reason I was chained down in my village." He said, looking to the side. "… I was supposed to just sit there and wait for that stupid king from the legend and become his slave… I refused and paid for it, my predecessor used to help hunt me down and drag me back…"

Valerie stiffened just hearing him finally speak out about this, as they turned a corner that was a bit more private so they could talk. She leaned against the wall, interested to hear this story. "So is that what you're afraid of? He's going to find you here and drag you back?"

Jae-ha held his head low, shaking it. "… He can't." he felt a sting just remembering Garou's final words to him, and how he felt the previous Green Dragon pass away shortly after he got out of that village. "But I worry the other villagers could… Maybe… I don't know… I just don't want to be chained down ever again…"

"Oh…" Valerie frowned, feeling sorry for the Ryokuryuu. "So is that how you got away? He died?"

"… That's the part that still bothers me I guess…" Jae-ha admitted, running his hand through his hair. "All his power went into me right then, and I felt it… He was dying and those were his last moments. I offered him my hand to go to the sky one more time, just so he wouldn't have to die in that hell hole…" he shut his eyes just remembering those last moments. "But the elder showed up then and he rushed into him, yelling for me to get lost and that he wouldn't come with me but…. I knew what he was trying to do… He helped me escape, after all that time of dragging me back down and forcing me to stay he actually saved me… Why?" he choked, his hands shaking just remembering that day.

"… Why did he do that?" Valerie was just as confused. "I mean… Why would he do those things to you and then suddenly let you go? Was he angry at you for replacing him as the Ryokuryuu or something? I mean was he old and that's why he died?"

Jae-ha shook his head. "… He was only 27. Most dragons only live 3-4 years when the new one is born I was told… Garou lasted the longest of all of them, but always blamed me for sucking the life out of him and well…" he balled his hands into fists. "… Thinking about it… He kind of was right. This blasted dragon's blood basically told him that when I was born, that he was going to die in a few short years… He was only 15, 3 years older at that time than I am right now, I guess that's why I never held it against him for beating me… Because part of me felt like I deserved it for killing him…"

"Jae-ha…" Valerie pulled him into a hug, shaking her head. "… You didn't ask to be born like this. It's terrible yes but… I don't think it was right." She then shivered as she let him go. "… Does that mean in a few years another dragon will be born and you'll….?" She gulped, unable to say it.

"… Maybe." Jae-ha shrugged. "I wasn't even related to Garou… I never met my mother or father, the elder took me away from them when I was born I was told. So that means anytime the next one will come along and they'll be chain it down just like I was…" he sighed and looked down.

"Mother can do something about it, will you know when it is born?" Valerie asked. "I mean, maybe we could save the next one… Unless you'd hate it to be around you because…"

The Green Dragon looked to the side as he nodded, he knew that he would feel it when the next Ryokuryuu would be born, after all he felt the Seiryuu and Hakuryuu being born several years ago. "… Would you like someone to go through what you did…?"

"Gigan told you…" Valerie stiffened at that, using the captain's name for once realizing that Jae-ha knew now that she was adopted. "… No, I'd do anything to prevent that. That's why I help the captain, so others won't lose their families too…" she smiled softly. "She really has become like a mom to me, and I bet she'd do the same for you too."

"… It might be nice to know what a family and a home is like." Jae-ha admitted, slightly cracking a smile. "Just I make no promises, the captain seems kind of hard to get the privilege of being able to call her mother like you have."

"Alright, so then from now on I'll be your big sister!" Valerie proclaimed, patting him on the shoulder.

The Ryokuryuu pursed his lips at that. "We're the same age, Valerie."

"Yes but my knowledge and experience gives me more age points!" Valerie said with a confident smirk. "So you get to be my little brother and I'll teach you everything!"

"Well… Alright." Jae-ha shrugged, still a bit insulted she was treating him like he was younger than her.

"Since you finally told me, I should apologize." Valerie said with a smile.

The Green Dragon blinked in confusion. "For what? Punching me? I told you already-"

"About yesterday…" Valerie said with a hint of red on her cheeks. "… I was being pushy… I didn't think much about… That foot and how you felt about it, I was thought I'd make a good impression on you and show mother I can be helpful. I'm sorry I made you mad and we fought."

"Oh…." Jae-ha was shocked to see her admit she that, since he was used to always being abused and never had anyone apologize to him before. "Ummm… Thanks I guess?"

"Anyway come on let's go." Valerie grabbed his hand and lead him down the street. "This is the place we need to get to."

Jae-ha blinked as he looked around, he was starting to get the idea of the area over the course of the week. "… Isn't this the place Ryou called 'Red Light' or something like that?"

"Why have you been here before?" Valerie asked.

The Green Dragon shook his head. "When him, me, Maya and Rowen came down here I overheard them talking about it, we passed this street when they said the captain would scold us for 'fooling around' I think."

"Oh. I thought for a moment mother would have to scold them for taking you here." Valerie giggled. "Because while she's not too found of me hanging around these gals, but I get some good information from them."

"Why are they bandits or something?" Jae-ha was utterly confused.

She scoffed at his question. "No, they're escort girls and prostitutes."

"Eh?"

Valerie stopped and turned towards him. "… I mean… You do know about that stuff, right? I mean we're the same age after all…" she blushed a bit though when she realized he didn't, considering he was locked up his whole life and just explained to her that his predecessor didn't tell him much. "Oh… That's right. I mean of course you don't…" she rubbed the back of her head. "I doubt anyone told you about… Adult stuff."

"Valerie I'm completely lost." Jae-ha admitted, rubbing the back of his head.

"Look Jae-ha big sister doesn't have time to give you a crash course on the birds and bees, just listen to me and try to ignore them if they flirt with you." Valerie waved a hand carelessly, just as he was going to ask they stepped inside the shop.

"Oh little Valerie! What brings you here?" the woman behind the counter smiled wide at her. "Oooohhh and you brought a little friend! Who's this your boyfriend?"

"No!" Valerie turned red as she protested. "He's just someone mother picked up and is having me show him around town… He's kind of like my little brother now." She then turned to the Ryokuryuu. "Jae-ha this is Ruth, she runs the place and is the friend of the captain."

"Ummm, hi?" the young lad waved a hand, not sure what he was supposed to do.

"Anyway mother thought the kid could use a scrub down, so mind if I use the bath area?" Valerie asked.

"Gladly! Girls Valerie is here let's help her clean up her friend!" Ruth called out.

"Hey you never said anything about this!" Jae-ha protested, just as three more women came down and started looking him over, saying how cute he was.

"It is true you need a bath desperately." Valerie giggled. "Oh but he has an injured leg so leave the pants on when you wash him, let him change on his own in private he's a bit shy about it." She winked at him to play along, that way he could hide his leg. She then pushed Jae-ha forward and the girls immediately took him into another room, while he gave Valerie a pitiful look like he was being dragged away to torture.

"He's a cute little boy, and just around your age." Ruth chuckled when the girls left with the Green Dragon. "Where did you find him?"

"He ran into me in the market, had just gotten away from the most recent slave trader mom thinks." Valerie stretched the truth there but that actually was what they thought when she met him, after all he had those broken chains on his wrists and ankles. "Turns out he was imprisoned as long as he can remember, so he's kind of lamebrained in a few areas and I'm working on broadening his horizon."

"Awww you're going to make an adorable big sister." Ruth pat her on the head. "… Speaking of which I imagine this is what you're here for." She slipped a small scroll over to the redhead. "We had a few interesting customers last night, my girls told me they got very talkative after a few drinks and one left this behind."

"Mother will be so glad to have this, thank you." Valerie said as she placed the parchment into her bag. "Any information when the next shipment is coming helps us head them off and rescue anyone they've taken."

"You're such a brave little girl." Ruth said with a smile, then chuckled when she heard Jae-ha protesting in the other room as one of the girls were trying to wash his hair. "And your little friend hopefully will help protect you."

Valerie pursed her lips at that. "I don't need a boy to protect me, I want to handle myself like Captain Gigan does." She then headed over to the bathing area, snickering as the three girls were washing drying Jae-ha off and trying different styles with his hair.

"Valerie!" the Green Dragon look at her pitifully as if screaming 'get me out of here!' right then.

"Thanks girls, I'll take it from here like I said he's shy." Valerie said as she grabbed the nearby clothes the girls picked out, once the women left she turned to Jae-ha and laughed. "What's wrong? Don't like a bunch of girls around you?"

"They wouldn't leave me alone and didn't listen to you at first, they kept trying to take all my clothes off." Jae-ha growled, quickly grabbing the clothes Valerie had to go behind a curtain to change his clothes. "How would I have explained my leg to them? That ugly thing would have made them freak out for sure…"

"Oh come on, surely it's not that bad." Valerie sighed. "I'd think you'd like the attention on you for a change in a positive way."

"Well I guess it wasn't too bad, just I wish they didn't just treat me like a kid." Jae-ha said as he stepped out, looking over his new outfit and then raising an eyebrow. "… Wait how did they know what would fit me?"

"They measured you silly, that was part of why they were stripping you so fast." Valerie giggled. "They even picked out shoes for you by just looking at your feet, some of these women are mothers even so they have children of their own even sometimes near our ages." She handed him a pair of black boots. "This will better hide your foot if you know what I mean."

"… Thanks." Jae-ha just stared at her surprised. "… I just… I'm used to just wearing whatever was thrown at me. Guess I am sounding a bit ungrateful huh?" he rubbed his head in embarrassment. "Just it felt weird with them fussing over me like that… Though it was strange being the center of attention in a positive way…"

"I get it, trust issues." Valerie waved a hand carelessly. "I didn't like it either the first day they cleaned me up when the captain brought me here several years ago." She then chuckled. "You've probably never been around this many females either before, just wait until you tell the others they'll be so jealous."

"Over a bunch of women giving me a bath?" Jae-ha looked at her utterly confused.

"You know growing up around a bunch of pirate boys has made me think they're all perverts, but maybe it's just your naive innocent charm that makes you different." Valerie giggled as she led him out of the building. "We just need to work on your people skills so you can be a proper gentleman, then you might have a chance at not becoming a creepy pervert like most of the men in this town… Especially the officers." She growled as she saw two of such men harassing a woman heading their way.

"What are they doing?" Jae-ha asked, not liking the situation as the men were trying to take the woman somewhere and she was protesting, but nobody did anything. He then blinked when he saw Valerie leap into the air and kick one man right in the face. "Valerie!"

"Little brat!" the man growled, grabbing Valerie by her ankle and forcing her down.

"Let her go!" Jae-ha spun his dragon leg around, hitting both men with such force they were knocked into a wall. "… Urk, maybe I overdid it. I'm so used to kicking Garou's dragon leg which could resist me…" he muttered.

Valerie looked at him impressed as the woman fled right away, but those officers were getting back up.

Jae-ha didn't waste time, grabbing Valerie and lifting her into his arms. "Hold on!" he cried, as her arms wrapped around his neck he kicked off with his dragon leg right into the air, and out of sight onto the rooftops. He kept jumping until they got enough distance and he could see Gigan's ship. "They won't be able to keep up as long as I keep jumping."

"Wow… We're so high!" Valerie gasped, as with each jump Jae-ha took her so high into the sky she could see the ocean from where they were. "That leg of yours is really cool Jae-ha!"

That made the Ryokuryuu actually blush. "… Really?" it was the first time his ability was ever praised or looked as something good, not a curse like his village did or a reason to be chained down.

"Of course silly!" Valerie smiled wide. "You took out those jerks with one kick, and now we're flying! It's amazing! You're really something, and you helped me save that lady plus saved me." She then kissed him on the cheek. "You're a hero."

"….." Jae-ha felt his cheek burn from her kiss, it was the first time anyone had ever done that and he felt his heart skip a beat just seeing Valerie so happy. Maybe staying in this town wasn't such a bad idea and he could get used to this…