THE SEA BLOSSOM
Chaper 3 For the Love of Evil
Book one
By Kiavie-chan

fourteen years ago, out at sea in the Sea Blossom... "Ha ha ha haaaa!" The little purple haired boy stuck his tongue out at one of the crew mates and giggle some more as he held his cards. "I'm winning!"

The man tried to looked dismayed, obviously trying not to laugh at the young boy. "Yer sure are good at this game, Xelloss. I get me butt kicked every time!"

The boy blushed a little and laughed some more. "Got any twos?"

Across the boat Marner observed little Xelloss playing cards with one of the men. "Huh, he's so happy and content. What a good kid."

"Captain, we're ready to dock!" The navigator in the crows nest called out, waving his arms and smiling broadly. "Alright!" Marner yelled back.

Xelloss threw his cards down and ran up to Marner. "We are gonna be in a town today?" His eyes were big and hopeful, his eyebrows raised so high that there was no trace of them under his bangs.

"Aye. Lemme guess, you want some ice cream."

"Ice cream! Yeah! Icecreamicecreamicecreamicecreamicecream...." One the boy went chanting as he ran benieth the deck to get a change of clothes. Marner had the entire crew change their clothes, since the ones they wore on deck got rather...ripe, let's just say, after being on someones back for many days, if not weeks, in a row. The townflok were generally offended by the smell, and service was bad in taverns and inns when their appearance was that messy.

Xelloss came tearing out of the door to the lower decks like there was no tomorrow and in a flash ran up to Marner and began jumping up and down again demanding icecream. He was wearing a white tunic and black pants, with a pair of brown leather sandels. Marner shook his head at the sight of him jumping up and down frantically, but decided that keeping the boy from his icecream any longer might cause him to explode.

"Come on, Papa! Let's GO!" Xelloss grabbed Marners much larger hand and pulled, both not budging. Marner shook his head again and bit back a laugh. "We're goin' we're goin'. You're such a spoiled brat." He teased.

Xelloss folded his arms across his chest and stuck his nose up in the air. "Call me names AFTER you get me my icecream."

For the third time, the only thing the Captain could do in response was shake his head. He held the young boy as the boat docked, and immediatly departed after the planks were set. They had been in this city before, Ulhan, he believed it was called. He left such details to his first mate. He only recognized the streets. It was late afternoon, and the market was packed. But, the captian was able to find the boy his icrcream. And as usual, he got is favorite, chocolate/vannila swirl. He felt some paternal instinct in him, though, when he noticed how fast his boy was wolfing down the cold dessert.

"Hey, slow down there, or your gonna..." He didn't finish in time.

"ITTTTTEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Xelloss squinched his eyes and shook his head from side to side in pain. The young boy stumbled back, into the crowd, quickly being swept away by the rush of people.

Marner had closed his eyes for a second when Xelloss started complaining about the headache caused by the icecream, and in that split second when he was practicing his habit of shaking his head at the young boy, he was gone. "Xelloss?" He looked around quickly, not seeing his purple hair anywhere. "XELLOSS!" He began to push through the crowd in desperation. Where could be 'ave gone off too?

*****

After Xelloss recoved himself, both his headache and off the ground *the people were rushing by so past they had knocked him down* he realized he had managed to salvage his icecream. He smiled with childish relief and noticed that "Papa" was no where to be found.

"Nani?" He looked side to side, his hair swishing in his face he was whipping left to right so fast. "Papa?" He began to wander through the street, occasionally calling out "Papa!" Waiting for an answer. He stopped to ask people where the docks were, but no one gave him the time of day.

"I'm too busy kid, go back to your parents."

"But...!"

"Sorry little boy, can't help you."

"You see...!"

Xelloss continued to wander though, not too distraught, that is, until it started to become dark. He Was getting tired of looking, and was getting hungry again. He felt the tears well up in his eyes, but he fought them back. He wiped the back of his wrist across his eyes, and as he stood in one spot, he noticed another child sitting on some steps in a back alley.

"Well, since the adults won't talk to me, maybe that kid will." The other child had a shawl wrapped around their head, old dirty shorts and a loosly hung shirt that was far too big and bare feel that were so dirty it looked like they had never been washed. Xelloss walked up behind the other child and tapped them on the shoulder. "Um...excuse me...?!"

The other child whipped around and grabbed his wrist, pulling him towards themself until their other hand was clasped on his throat. Xelloss was scared quiet, no one had ever attacked him before, and he wasn't sure how to handle this situation.

"Don't sneak up on me like that!" The childs eyes were blue, the face delicate but caked with dirt. As Xelloss examined the face before him, he noticed that it was a girl. When the fright began to fade away, Xelloss began to stuggle pushing against the arm and twisting his head side to side. In his effort, his locket fell out of his shirt. The girls eyes widened.

"Where did you get that?" She let go of his and grabbed at it with both hands.

"Hey! Let go of that, it's mine!" Xelloss pushed her away, grabbing the locket protectivly and stepping back. Then he noticed the glittering chain on her neck. It looked like his.

She looked down at her chest, and pulled out and identical locket, showing him the same engraved dolphin, a mirror image.

"How did you get that?" Xelloss glared down at her hand, then at her face. She pulled back her shawl, revealing her long brown hair.

"I asked you first."

"I've had it as long as I can remember. My papa said he found it with me. Where did you get yours?" Xelloss kept a suspcious eye on her, not willing to part with this important possesion incase she was some sort of steet rat.

"I've had mine for as long as I can remember. Does yours have your name on it?"

"Yes....why?"

"Mine does too, see?" She took off her necklace and held the back up so he could see her name in it, engraved with the same calligraphy as his: Filia.

Without a word, he took his off and held it out for her to see.

She looks at it. "Xelloss..." she thought for a moment, "That name is familiar...I don't know why becasue I know I have never heard of it before."

"I was about to say the same about you. Do you have a real mom or dad?"

"No. I was found..."

"On a ship."
"On a ship."

Filia and Xelloss stared for a long time. Xelloss carefully asked his next question. "So....why do you live on the streets now?"

"Like the people on the boat wanted to take care of me." She snorted.

Xelloss gave her a confused look. "I don't see why not. The captain of the boat I was found on took care of me."

After a moments silence, Filia picked up his locket, but not in an alarming way, so Xelloss did not attempt to take it back. She put the backs together and they locked.

"Huh. They seem to be two sides to the same locket." She looked up at him. "Are we brother and sister or something?"

Xelloss thought for a moment. "Naw, I don't think so. First of all, if we had the pieces to a locket, we would be twins. How old are you?"

"Eight."

"See, I'm ten. That's a two year gap. Unless our parents planned ahead of time to have children and abandon them with lockets, I don't think so. Besides, we look nothing alike."

"Then why do we have these?"

Xelloss shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe it's a secret. But for some reason I have this gut feeling that we are not related." Xelloss thought for a moment as he took the locket from her hands and seperated the peices. taking his back. Then he remembered what he was origionally doing. "Oh yeah! Do you happen to know where the dock is? No one would help me, that's why I approached you in the first place." He put his chain back on and tucked the locket into his tunic.

She smiled, doing likewise by tucking her's into her large shirt. "Yeah, I know the way. I'll show you. It's not like I have anything better to do."

The sky was dark, and barely anyone was left on the Sea Blossom, just a few crewmen to watch the ship.

Xelloss and Filia stood by the plank, not seen by the crewmen. He looked at Filia and smiled. "Ah, arrigato, Filia-chan. My papa must be worried. I should be leaving now"

Filia knodded her head, though slightly sadly. "No problem. I would return to a home like this if I had one."

"Ja ne, Xelloss-chan."

Though slightly urked at being called "chan", Xelloss started to walk up the planks. He paused in midstep as he thought. I can't leave her. There's no way. "Filia-chan!"

Filia turned to look at Xelloss. She thought he was still on the plank, but he ran to her and grabbed her wrist. "Come on, the ship will be leaving later this evening. If you get on now, no one will notice you." He smiled at her, and before she could answer pulled her up the plank and behind a storage barrel, waiting for one of the men to pass by. He held his finger to his lips and lead her below deck, down a hall, and into his room. He closed the door and locked it, walking over to his bed and sitting down heavily, looking at Filia.

"Why did you do that?" She proclaimed, going for the door. "I didn't ask to..."

"No you didn't ask. I brought you here. Do you relly think you would be happy being grungy all your life and smelling the way you do?" He gave her a smug look.

She marched across the room and knocked his across the head hard. "Ow! Iteeee, that hurt, Filia!"

"Well, you should watch what you say to girls." She folded her arms across her chest irratibly.

"Yare yare, you are loud." He commented, quickly dodging her next blow. "Anyways, if you are going to stay on this ship, you are giong to have to clean yourself up first. There is a bath tub down the hall, I'll get it ready. We rarely use it, we keep it on board for passangers that like to take frequent baths."

"Oh? And what do you suppose I wear?"

"Some of my clothes, I have some things that are too small for me."

"What? Me wear boys clothes? You have to be kidding."

"No I'm not, and anything I give you is better than what your wearing so stop whinning."He opened the door quickly and shut it behind him, getting the bath for her ready. No one went below deck when they were docked and this few people on board, so Xelloss wasn't worried at the moment.

He got the bath ready, and went back to his room. After looking at her, he thought twice. "I think you will need two baths, one isn't enough." The look on her face was deadly. "Gomen! But still, it wouldn't hurt. Besides, your a girl, girls like baths from what I understand. The first bath you can wash off the majority of the dirt, the second you can used some of this smelly soap." He tossed her a pink bar of soap. Filia held it in her hands and smelled it carefully.

"Mmmm. It smells good. Where did you get this?"

"The lady that traveled with us not too long ago told my papa that I smelled bad, and I needed to use that. I have nothing against soap, really, just something against smelling like a girl." He stopped in front of a door and opened it, stepping it. There was a large tub, and a small bucket full of steemy warm water.

Xelloss pointed to the bucket. "Use that to wash your feet first before you get in there." He moved his extended finger to line up with the wooden tub. "You get the water less dirty that way. I'll go through my clothes and see if I can find anything. Keep quiet, alright? I don't want to get in trouble becasue of you."

"Hey, you are the one that brought me here, baka!"

"Baka? You are so rude!" Xelloss' face twitched slightly. "I can't believe I am helping this loud mouthed brat!" He slammed the door behind him and stomped to his room.

"Of all the ungreatful, whiny, *mutter mutter complain complain*" all the while he pulled out the clothes too small for him and built a tiny pile as he complained.

Meanwhile, Filia was throughly enjoying herself, after she got over her anger. She sunk into to the water, a feeling that she was without for a long time. After relaxing for a moment, she scrubbed vigorously at the dirt on her body, soaking her hair as well. After she was done, she stepped out and looked at the water. It was brown. She looked at the bar of scented soap longingly, but heald back.

"He was right. I do need two baths." She looked around and without a problem found the water barrels, as well as the drain they used to dump the old water. She pulled the plug at the bottom and watched it drain into the hole. After pouring some cold water into the tub, and cleaning it out, she looked for whatever it was they used to heat the water. She couldn't figure it out.

"Oh well." She shrugged. "I'll take a cold bath." She hopped in with her bar of soap, not too bothered by the temperature, and scrubbed again at her whole body, once again paying special attention to her hair. She finished her bath rather quickly, wanting to stay longer but deciding not to push it. One the ground near the wall was a pile of towels, so Filia took the liberty of using one, drying herself as quicky as possible. As soon as she was finished there was a knocking on the door, and it cracked open slightly. "Filia-chan? Are you done?"

"Hai. Thank you."

"Um....yeah. Well, here is some clothes." He tossed several articals of clothing in. "I don't know which you would like, so I brought several." His face was still hidden behind the door.

"Arrigato."

The door started to shut before Filia called out. "Oi! Xelloss-chan, hold on!"

"Nani?" He asked irritably. There is that damned "chan" again.

"I know that there is only a bunch of men on this ship...but, would you happen to have a hairbrush? I know you probably don't have one, but..."

His head popped around the door. "I have a brush, Fi-chan! My hair is long, you know! Wow, your hair is blonde, not brown!" Then he sweatdropped.

"AHHHHHHHH! Henti!" Filia, who was only wearing her towel, took a couple steps back and bumped into the bucket full of dirty water. "PERVERT!" She grabbed the bucket and launched it at him.

"Ack!" He pulled back and shut the door quickly, letting the bucket slam into the door. Not a second later, he pops his head back in. "Baka! What are you trying to do?" Then he heard someone yell from the deck.

"Damn." He rushed in, gathering the clothes he left for her and threw them behind the barrles. "Get back there, quick!" Xelloss pushed her, hearding her like an animal to the barrels.

"Hey, who do you think you are pushing me around like that...NANI?" Filia's eyes became large and rounded as he pulled off his shirt and his shoes. "Henti!"

He whirrled on her. "Would you STOP saying that!" He threw his shirt into her face, causing her to stumble back. Xelloss hopped into the bath with his pants on, making sure they were hidden undre the water. Filia was about to yell at him again when she heard the foot steps pounding down the hall. "Eep!" Was all she could summon from herself before she dove behind the barrels with the clothes.

Xelloss looked at the water he was in, and scrubbed at himself, the purfumed soap was almost dizzying it was so strong.

Two crew men charged in and looked at the young boy in surprise. "Xelloss! Yer are alright! The captain has been looking all over for yer butt, why didn't you tell us ye were here?" One of the men looked at the piled of dirty clothes that belonged to Filia.

Xelloss looked at them, not able to say anything at first, then smiled. "Well, um, I was lost. When I found my why here, I noticed I got a little...dirty. So I thought I would take a bath." He smiled even more broadly, laying on the innocence as much as possible.

"A little dirty? Xelloss, these are disgustin'!" One of them said, picking them up. "I think they need to bath with the sea." He stepped out with the dirty shirt, shorts and shawl. The other stayed though, with an odd look on his face. "Xelloss..."

"Hai?"

"Are ye using ladies soap?"

Xelloss studied the water VERY hard, feeling the rising blush in his face. "Hai." He said quietly.

"Xelloss..."

"Hai?"

"WHY?"

Xelloss thought for a moment and smiled a little. "Sore wa himitsu desu."

"Nevermind." The sailor sighed. "I'll tell Marner that yer ok."

"Arrigato."

Several hours later, after ship left dock, Marner when to go see Xelloss in his room after cooling off from being so mad for not telling him he was alright. The boy had a really bad habit of disappearing on him.

He knocked on the door once then opened it, "Xelloss, I just wanted to...who is that?"

"This is Filia-chan, Papa. I wanted her to come with us."

"So you decided to sneak her on board without telling me?"

"Well, yeah. Sort of."

"Xelloss, kids aren't pets! You can't take off with them. Don't worry...Filia-chan, was it?....you'll be back to your parents in no time."

"I don't have any."

"Eh?"

"I don't have any parents, I live on my own."

"Awful small to be goin' and doin' somethin' like that."

"Papa, she has the same locket as me."

That got Marner's attention.

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