Chp.12 A talk with the shadow girl

"This is it," Silverwolf said.

"It took a while to get he-Hey, where are we exactly?" Moonbay looked around. They were in some kind of hangar with a Storm Sworder on the right, and a Geno Saurer on the left. In the back was what looked like a broken down red blade liger.

"This is Villecentes. It means power in the Ancient Zoidian language. That's what this V mark on my head stands for."

"I guess I never noticed it before. I-wait…I've seen that mark before," Moonbay thought back. "That green-headed girl had =that mark on her head! -But she-"

"So this is what you've been doing, flute boy. What took you so long?" Moonbay looked down and saw none other than the girl she was just speaking about.

"Pipe down, wench," Silverwolf yelled.

"Ah, another one of your many instruments, a pipe is. How do you think wench offends me? Not very much, I'll tell you right now. Now bring that woman down here right now, and go report your return."

"Whatever," Silverwolf said and picked Moonbay up.

"No! NO! You tricked me! Let me go this instant! I want to go back home! I-" Moonbay then fell out of his arms. "AHHHHHHHH!"

"Moonbay!" Silverwolf screamed.

"Quit screaming!" Crescent yelled as she flew up on Emerald's back and caught her mid-fall. "It hurts my ears."

"Later much," Silverwolf said leaving.

"Whatever," Crescent said as Emerald landed on the ground. "Lemme guess, Silverwolf made you think he was a nice dude and brought you here. Idiot. Now your little friend is gonna come lookin' for you…Irvine, was it? You're Moonbay. I remember him calling you that. C'mon, as long as you're here, you might as well relax."

Moonbay couldn't understand it. Crescent was being nice! But why…?

~~~~~~

"This is my room. It ain't much, but it's gotta place to lay down. Check out any of the books and stuff if you want. I'll be back in a while. Oh, and if Jubilee comes in, just let her be. She never speaks to anyone."

"Jubilee?" Moonbay asked.

"Yeah, she's about thirteen, fourteen, somewhere around there. Got orangey hair, green eyes. Cries a lot, I'll tell you that. See you."

"uh-yeah…" Moonbay muttered.

Crescent was gone. Moonbay sat down on the white mattress with the green blanket, supposing it was Crescent's and took a large book from a pile. She began flipping through it. It looked like a bunch of pictures made by a little girl or something. It was definitely a photo album, but it strangely consisted of strangers.

The farther she flipped into the book, she found little writings by different people. It seemed that Crescent was keeping a book on all kinds of people with little writings showing how they tick.

~~~~~~

"Mr. Han, sir," a quiet, high-pitched voice whispered as the shadowed girl, Jubilee opened the door. "I brought you your morning coffee…Sir?"

Han was against the wall as he was the night before, right by the window, the light shining on his beautiful face. He was asleep…and crying in his dreams.

"Sir?" Jubilee whispered again, afraid to wake him, afraid he'd slap her or kick her or yell. "Sir…are you awake?…" She walked quietly over and kneeled next to him, putting her blue gloved onto his cheek.

Han's eyes flung open. Jubilee fell backward, nearly spilling the coffee. "Jubilee…" Han said sternly. "Leave."

"I-I just brought you your coffee like e-everyday, sir," Jubilee said fearfully.

"Leave me, Jubilee, please…" Han hung his head, hiding his face. "If you don't, I won't hesitate to harm you."

"Y-yes sir," Jubilee said setting the coffee cup and pitcher on the floor. "I'll go now."

"You'd better," Han muttered and watched her leave.

~~~~~

Jubilee shut the door behind her and leaned against it. She could hear some shuffling around, a wail of depression, then things breaking against the wall. She lowered her head, her orange bangs falling over her eyes.

"Why?…" She thought. "Why do I feel so sorry for him?…He made me leave my family to work for him…He hit me countless times when I did something not to his liking….He wants to kill his own kin….and yet, I feel sorry for him….I feel as if he deserves better….Is it--because it is not his fault?"

She ran off down the hall, swung open the bedroom door and ran in, slamming the door behind her. She then burst into tears, hanging her head and sliding down till she was sitting. She buried her head in her hands and sobbed loudly.

"What's wrong, little girl?"

Jubilee felt an arm go around her. She looked up and saw Moonbay's face gleaming in the firelight. Despite the windowless room, she looked lovely in the light. "wh-who are you?" Jubilee sniffled.

"My name is Moonbay. I'll tell you more about me later. Crescent told me not to talk to you, but I can't help myself. Stand up, lemme look at you."

Jubilee rose to her feet. Moonbay looked at her. She had on a high collared black shirt that stopped right below her chest and went around going downward. She had red shoulder protectors with a white stripe around the end (kinda like Sango's in Inu Yasha), her arms were bare, and her gloves were blue. She had a black belt that hooked with a silver buckle downward, making the part where her stomach showed shaped like a diamond. She had on red side covers (ya know, like Van has except his is a tannish color), blue pants, and red boots pulled up over the pants. She had orange hair that was short, and blue eyes that looked sad. The V mark was on her forehead.

"Now, then, look at you! How could you be so sad right now? You're a beautiful, and obviously smart girl."

"I was taken away from my mom and brother…They made me come here to become a strategist and organizer…but Master Han is why I'm really upset," Jubilee said. "I feel sorry for him…He might seem like a bad man, but he's really so tormented and torn inside that he doesn't know right from wrong anymore…"

"Really?" Moonbay asked sitting back down on Crescent's bed. Jubilee came and sat next to her.

"Yes, I hear him screaming and breaking things in his room all the time, but when someone tries to talk to him about it, he hits them or kicks them or yells, anything to avoid the subject. He's afraid of what would happen if someone knew what was wrong with him. He's too filled with pride to try and get someone to help him….or at least that's how I've observed it," She said.

"Wow, that's the first time I've heard a different side of the story. See, I'm from Van's-"

"SHHH! Don't say his name….Han might hear you…His brother's name sets him off," Jubilee whispered.

"O-oh, well, I'm on his side. I don't know what he could have done for Han to hate him so much. He's a great, silly guy."

"I never said he did anything," Jubilee said hugging herself. "He just thinks that for some reason."

"You've looked into this a lot, haven't you?" Moonbay said.

"Mmhmm."

"This girl cares so much," Moonbay thought. "Even though this man took her from her home, she wants to help him."

"I know he's got a good heart…It's just shadowed by darkness, that's all….Moonbay? Tell me…Can you help me help him? Even as a genius, I don't know what to do. Only you, who hasn't grown up in this group of sadness and sorrow could understand. Do you have someone you really care about? Tell me how'd you'd treat this person if something like this was to happen…."

"I-I do, actually, and-if I had to help him with something like that I'd-- I'd probably confront him and give him the affection he needs. Affection is something that keeps a person sane sometimes. I mean, it seems to me that this leader of yours doesn't get very much of that. After he opens up to you, you can find out what's wrong and try to fix it. See? It works out."

"You're right, Moonbay…w-will you help me?" Jubilee looked hopefully at her.\

"Sure," She smiled.