Chapter 8

Leo took a deep breath, but hesitated at knocking on the door to Balan's office. He had been hoping to ask the maestro if he'd be alright with the boy using the stage for dancing as he didn't want to give up something he loved, but at the same time, he was a bit worried that Balan would say 'no'. He lifted his hand to knock again, but again hesitated and pulled back.

"I doubt he'll say 'no'," came a voice and the boy jumped, turning quickly to find a tendriled being behind him. He blinked as he remembered seeing him from somewhere before, to which the person smiled gently. "You saw me at the party," he said gently. "I'm Lance."

Leo relaxed slightly, but was still a bit nervous. "What do you mean you doubt Balan will say 'no'?" He asked, realizing Lance was the one that had said that statement.

"I could sense your nervousness about asking Balan if you could use the stage for your talent," Lance said, smiling gently. "I saw you dance at the party."

The boy looked a bit more nervous and the tendriled being smiled again gently. "I also know what you went through before coming here," he said.

"You do?" Leo asked before it hit him. "Balan told you? Or Haoyu?"

Lance shook his head. "Neither," he said gently. "I have the ability to sense negative thoughts or negative energy and someone's fears. Balan can as well, along with positive energy, thoughts, and someone's happiness."

The boy blinked. "You mean...like you're psychic?" He asked.

The tendriled being chuckled gently. "Not quite," he said, sounding amused. "But back to you, you should talk to Balan. I can sense you're beginning to trust him."

Leo nodded and Lance nodded too. "I'm sorry you went through so much hurt before," he continued. "I'd never wish abuse on anyone." He took a step back before nodding again. "I'll be around, Leo. And remember, Balan never goes back on his word."

With that, the dark-haired being vanished and the boy blinked before letting out the breath that he just realized he had been holding. He blinked as he realized he had felt wary around Lance, but it seemed the tendriled being had been curious about him. And the words of encouragement he spoke really moved him. Taking a deep breath again, he turned and knocked on the door to Balan's office softly. "Come in," he heard the maestro say and he braced himself before opening the door and stepping inside the office a bit nervously.

Balan lifted his head up from the paperwork he had been looking at and he smiled at seeing the boy he had adopted. "Ah, Leo," he said, his voice warm. "How are you doing, son?"

"Good, thank you," the boy said.

He inwardly liked it that Balan called him 'son' and was glad that the tall being didn't push him to call the maestro his father right away. He now saw Balan gesture him to come closer and he did, stopping in front of the desk, to which the maestro got up from his chair and came around the desk, having a seat in the chair in front of his desk and gesturing for Leo to sit in the other seat. The boy did so. "How are you settling in, Leo?"

"Very well," the boy said, smiling. It had been a few days since Balan had adopted him and he was glad he had decided to stay at the theater. "Um...Balan, I wanted to ask you something."

"Of course, my boy," the tall being said, smiling. "What can I do for you?"

"Well...I was wondering...," Leo paused and took a deep breath. "Would you be okay with me using the stage sometimes for my dancing?"

Balan smiled. "Of course, Leo," he said, gently ruffling the boy's hair. "In fact, I was wondering if you still wanted to continue dancing, but wasn't sure how to broach the subject."

The boy smiled. "I love dancing," he said. "It's...It's one of the things that makes me feel...feel...," he trailed off.

"Happy?" The maestro supplied gently.

Leo nodded. "Yeah," he said. "Happy and free. Like...Like I don't have to worry about anything."

Balan nodded with a smile. "Leo, you may use the stage anytime you'd like," he said. "You shouldn't ever give up on dancing because you're a good dancer."

"Thanks," the boy said, looking a bit bashful.

The tall being chuckled and playfully poked Leo's ribs, making the boy laugh and squirm in his seat before Balan stood up and pulled the boy closer to him, still tickling his stomach and ribs, making the boy's laughter grow.

"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! BAHAHHAHAHALAHAHAHAHAHAN! STOHOHOHOHOHOP!" Leo laughed out.

"And deny you some happiness? Oh, no," Balan said with a chuckle as he noticed Leo's shirt had ridden up a little and he gently scooped the boy up into his arms, one arm wrapped around the boy's back and the other under the boy's knees. The boy didn't have time to protest before he felt the maestro begin blowing raspberries into the exposed stomach.

"AHAHAHAHAHA! NOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHO! NOHOHOHOHOHOT THAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAT!" He laughed out, his laughter climbing another octave as Balan blew a few raspberries right over the boy's belly button. "AHAHAHAHAHA! PLEEHEEHEEHEEHEEHEEHEEASE!"

The tall being chuckled in amusement, but stopped, seeing the boy had had enough. Leo lay limp in his arms, taking some deep breaths before feeling the thin, but strong arms gently shift him to where his head was resting against the tall being's shoulder as he was held like how a parent would hold a smaller child, a gloved hand gently rubbing his back to help him recover.

The boy didn't squirm to get away, which Balan noticed before seeing the boy smile up at him. "Balan...thanks," he said before chuckling. "Lance told me that you wouldn't say 'no'."

The maestro chuckled, ruffling the boy's hair again, making him laugh again.

Meanwhile in town, Jose Gallard was purchasing some seeds for his farm when a young woman came up to him. "Excuse me, sir," she said and he turned to her. "Have you seen this girl? Her name is Emma."

She held up a picture of the same girl that Jose knew Balan had rescued and he looked at the woman. "Why are you looking for her?" He asked curiously.

"She's going to make me a lot of money," the woman said. "There's a rich couple that has seen Emma and they want to adopt her and they are going to pay me to let them adopt the girl."

Something about the woman's words didn't set right with the farmer and he shook his head. "No, I haven't seen her," he said before turning and walking away. Seeing the woman was still asking around, he grew worried and headed back for the theater, seeking out the one person would would want to know about this.

Balan had just finished speaking with Iben, who was hoping to do a song for an act, which he had agreed upon, and the woman had gone to go practice when Jose came up to the maestro, who turned to him with a smile, but then saw the farmer's face and knew something was wrong. "Jose, what is it, old friend?" He asked in concern.

"Balan, did Emma tell you why you found her on the street?" Jose asked him.

"No, she didn't," the tall being said. "But Cass and Yuri learned that she was in an orphanage and was kicked out due to a rumor that she had been returned there too many times."

The farmer looked grim. "I knew something wasn't right," he said. "I ran into this woman in town and she's looking for Emma, claiming a rich couple has seen Emma and are looking to adopt her and the woman was going to accept payment from them."

Balan didn't like the sound of that and he grew worried. "Emma left a little while ago with Fiona to get some stuff that Fiona needed," he said. "I hope they're both alright."

Jose nodded, but he felt worried himself.

In town, Fiona and Emma had just left the store. "Thank you for helping me, Emma," the lady said with a smile. "Do you think you might like to go swimming with me sometime to see my dolphin friends?"

"Really?" The blonde-haired girl said happily. "I'd love that."

Suddenly, she gasped as her arm was grabbed. "There you are, Emma," said a voice and the girl looked to see it was the orphanage director and she was looking at Fiona. "Thank you so much for finding Emma. She ran away again, but that won't happen again."

Emma struggled to get free. "Let go of me, please!" She begged.

"No. You're going to let that nice, rich couple adopt you," the orphanage director said, dragging her away. Emma tried to pull away, but couldn't.

Fiona was stunned but then snapped out of it. "Emma!" She called out.

"Fiona! Tell the others!" She called out.

"I will!" The diver called out. "And don't worry! We'll find you!"

The orphanage director forced Emma into the car and drove away with the girl looking at Fiona worriedly and the diver gave her a reassuring nod before she grabbed her things and ran back for the theater as fast as she could.

Uh-oh! Looks like Emma has been kidnapped. Can the others find her and get her back? We shall see.

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GoldGuardian2418