Guys I really am so happy that you continue to follow this story. Almost 2000 views on this site alone... Thank you. I had lost my motivation and then I saw that. Thanks so much.

Mercury's POV

There was no way I would accept that smug, devil-eyed thief as leader of this half dead team. He and his muted, freak pet of his can go and... Suddenly something touched his arm. It was Emerald staring at him. He could remember clearly the day they met. "What do you want Emerald?" I asked a bit more harshly than intended.

"I..uh, am glad to be your partner, but I don't want people to think that w-we can't work ... with others."

Ah, so stop being so cold. Gah who does she think I am? "...," I stared with sullen silence. But for her...

"So I..uh was wondering," Emerald fidgeted nervously, "May I tell them our story?"

With an icy tone, I asked, "Do you want to tell them?" I knew the answer though.

She looked steadily at him, "Yes I want to tell them." There was nothing else to say so I pushed myself off to go and touching his arm, she said, "I want you to be here."

I glanced back and let out a sigh, "Alright then."

Emerald's POV

I can't believe he gave up that easy. I can't believe it at all. Maybe he's tired. I don't really believe it. But he did and I have to figure out what to say.

Roman was going over some notes, whether from class or spying on other students I didn't know, and Neo was grinning like a Siamese cat watching a video she took off some students making fun of each other. Apparently she had a thing for blackmail. Yeah, if you feel a presence it's probably her. Just don't do anything you don't want anyone to know about outside the dorms.

I cleared my throat. They both looked up. "What's up you two?" Roman said. He had the knowing look that he always had. ALWAYS. It irritated the heck out of Mercury.

"This team won't become anything without effort," I began.

"True but, you're the one making plenty of effort, Emerald." Roman nodded. Mercury's face scowled... He really didn't like Roman. I mean if you haven't caught that by now.

"Thank you," I smiled at those words, "I want you guys to be able to trust us. After all we will be teammates for four years." Mercury snorted at this. "So we have both agreed to share our story with you."

"Neo and I will share ours when you're finished," Roman stated calmly.

"Okay," I took a deep breath. "We met when we were about 14. I lived on the streets stealing things to make a living." They didn't seem bothered by that fact at all. "I was really hungry one day, so hungry. I made a mistake. I stole from the one house I should have never stolen from. The Black residence. From what I remember there was silence. But... I was willing to chance it. Now I never broke into houses, way too much risk. I would wait for people to come out and steal their stuff when they weren't paying attention."

*Start Flashback*

He's so drunk. I can get it from him. He's so rich, he'll never know it's missing. I had trailed Mister Black for quite some time. He never even noticed. Or at least ... that's what I thought. I used my semblance to make it look as if I walked past him and grabbed at his wallet. To be honest, I was not feeling my best. Maybe the image was shaky, maybe it just wasn't believable. Whatever the reason, he turned and grabbed my hand holding it high in the air. I cried out in pain. "P-please sir, d-don't hurt me!" I yelped.

His eyes were cold stone grey, "You should've thought of that sooner."

I opened my mouth to scream and his hand covered it. He dragged me over to an alleyway to probably kill me. I kicked him right where it would hurt the most. He yelled and dropped me, I hit the ground running. I used my semblance to cover my retreat. I ran and ran until I was bone-tired. I made it to my shelter in an alleyway with some other kids. As long as you made an offering to the boss he let you stay. I stole quite a bit to stay there, but rarely was there anything left for me to eat. I was so hungry and tired I passed out.

When I woke up there was a kid my age sitting above me. "Er..ugh, who are you?" He peered over at me.

"Are you the one who tried to steal from my dad?" He said, not introducing himself.

"Depends," I said flinching at his words, "Who's your dad?"

"Black, does that sound familiar, sweetheart?"

"Oh no, if you found me then he'll find me." I was really starting to panic. I began to back away. Mercury looked onward, slightly amused at her predicament.

"Calm down," he said rolling his eyes, "I took care of that. I'm Mercury Black by the way. What's yours?" I realised that this guy may not be as bad as it seems. But it's always good to be careful. What if it was a trap? I thought for a moment to whether give him my name or not. And there was no harm. It was just a name right?

"My name is Emerald Sustrai."

"Well the rat has a name," Mercury said, "I've seen you hanging around my place for awhile. I should warn you it'll get you killed." He was literally laughing at this. I was about to give him my mind when he handed me some warm bread.

"Oh... My... gosh." I dug into it without another word. He just looked fascinated. He left. I was curious about this boy. This boy who helped her even though she had stole from him.

Kindness like that on the streets is rare. Very rare. So precious as well. Something to be protected. But only if it's true.

This was my new friend Mercury.

*End Flashback*

"We spent a lot of time together. He would bring me food and I would give him news of the street. I was a lot less hungry after that. I thought he was very strange and never fully trusted him. Oh course he didn't trust me either. One day...I didn't come to our chosen meeting place. Why? I had been caught on a group of thieves turf. You don't do that... Not at all. At the time I didn't know it was theirs."

Mercury's POV

I shivered at her words. I could remember that day so well. I had been feeling slightly betrayed. I had waited for a bit, but she was NEVER late.

*Start Flashback*

I wandered back and forth on the terrace. Where was she? She was never this late. No matter how she was feeling. I don't really like thieves but that was a really good personality trait to have. Maybe she took off... That would be disappointing.

Just then, a kid came up to me. He was another street rat as well. "Who are you and what do you want?" I asked curtly.

He was very small, maybe 8 and very out of breath. "Do *huff huff* do you know Emerald? And are her friend?"

I narrowed my eyes, "What do you know of her?"

His eyes were panicked. "You h-have to come. She strayed too far into the Dark Knives territory. They are picking her apart."

I blinked, "Where?"

"T-to the south. Travel south and you will find her."

I turned and jumped off the terrace. I hit the ground running. I heard the sound of laughter before I saw it. There were five guys. All amateur thieves, probably. Backed against a wall, was a miserable stone cold Emerald. Her eyes said she was tired, they said she was scared but she kept a pretty good poker face anyways. It looked like they had beaten her till her aura was depleted. Blood was everywhere.

I leaped and fired from my shotgun boots giving me more height. I landed hard on the first guy's back. The others had turned and seen me and had backed away. Thankfully, I was the assassin's son. Yep I hope you didn't forget about that. I worked to see one coming from my back side and another was coming from my front. I flipped onto my hands and used both feet to kick at them. They were tossed backwards, one into a crate, the other into a brick wall. "M-mercury!"

I whirled to see someone throw a knife.. My eyes widened and I turned just in time so the knife hit the one other guy. Unfortunately, the guy who threw the knife had come up and stabbed him in the side, close to the guy. I kicked him and then fell over. He flew backwards, like the first two, but hit a metal bar that was there. Blood poured from the wound. Thankfully it seemed it had only gone in a little bit. I pulled my shirt off and wrapped it tightly around my waist. Then I looked up to see Emerald trying to stand. "Heya rat, thanks for the warning."

"Y-your side," she said staggering forward.

"Don't sweat it, I'm fine." I may have hated my father but he taught me how to survive with a wound. A wound that he usually put on me, I thought bitterly. Emerald wasn't taught to survive like that, just steal and run. "You can barely stand though."

"I'll be fine in a day or two..." Emerald said. She nearly tripped and I caught her.

"Climb on my back," I gruffed out. She gave me the weirdest look, but my expression told her not to argue. She swung her body on his. I could feel her thin ribs. Even though I fed her, there just wasn't enough.

"Where are we going?" She asked, a yawn in her voice. "This isn't the direction to my home." She snuggled closer to him.

"I'm taking you somewhere you can rest."

"Oh," she mumbled, too tired to argue.

I carried her to my house. Even though that was dangerous, my father wouldn't be home anytime soon. There was a guest room that father never went into. She could stay they.

I went into the house. There were 2 servants, who were hush, hush about everything. They would stay quiet. Emerald was snoring softly. I went into the guest room carefully shuffled her off me onto the bed. I went into the bathroom and got hot cloths and put them on the stand next to her.

The next day I fed her and she thanked me and left.

*End Flashback*

"We became good friends after that," Emerald stated fondly. "He and I would raid places. He taught me to fight and I taught him the tricks and trades of the street."

"I have to say," Mercury mumbled, "There was more to learn than I thought there was."

Emerald gave a dry laugh, Roman looked amused, and Neo… Neo looked … bored.

Roman clapped his hands together, "Thank you for sharing that tidbit. Now I think it be our turn."