Hey everyone, it's Austorias, I was in a good mood today, so a kicked into my writer's trance and pumped out a pretty good chapter! This is a more heart to heart chapter, so you might want to read carefully. As always be sure to leave a review, they are my favorite thing to read! Be sure to leave or send me questions for the characters if you want them to appear later on! HERE WE GO!

**********************************************ON WITH THE STORY********************************************************

(Shit, I need to get to Francis!) Jacks thought to himself. He ran as quickly as he could across the roof before jumping and grappling to the next, he was getting the hang of this! He ran and jumped, and ran and jumped, and ran and jumped until a shrill cry was released across the silent night. Jacks did a double take before seeing in the distance Francis tackling down the rat and giving him one hell of a left hook. Jacks stuttered down the flight of stairs and ran towards them both.

Taking one of his hands and bringing it around his back, Francis put the rat in a restraining hold. Francis smiled at her work before hearing footsteps approaching her.

"Hey, *Puff*, did you get 'em?" Jacks was out of breath, and stopped with his hands on his knees.

"Francis, *huff*, he could be a Sin." Jacks seemed to not take his own sentence seriously.

Francis stared blankly at him.

"*Snicker* Believe me, if he was, I'd be dead. Sin don't play a lot of mind games, it's just stalk, pounce, kill, repeat. They keep it simple stupid." Francis tilted her head and smiled, earning one in return from Jacks. Jacks then changed his expression to be more monotone.

"Should we really be uh, disclosing this info?" Jacks asked Francis, motioning toward the struggling rat under her.

She quickly looked at the rat with an exasperated look.

"Oh, right!" Francis instantly put her right elbow directly into the rat's neck, causing him to go limp and lay flat.

"Hand me one of your spare grapple ropes." Francis raised her hand up to Jacks without even looking at him. Jacks complied, searching around in his bag for a couple seconds before pulling out the item of interest.

"Thanks." Francis finished. She pulled the rat's other hand to his side and tied him up to a tree using the said rope.

Francis felt the chilled night wind against her, all she had was a t-shirt and shorts for protection against the harsh cold.

Francis rubbed her hands together, Jacks could see her breath as she stood up.

"W-w-well, that's enough kickin' butt for one night, l-l-lets head back to Spring's." Francis rubbed the side of her arms and shivered, her teeth chattering.

Jacks began to step forward until Francis stopped him by placing a hand on his arm.

"Hold on." Francis said suddenly.

She pulled Jacks over toward her and pulled him into a very tight hug, putting her head over his shoulders and wrapping her arms around his waist.

She nestled her head in between his neck and shoulder. Jacks could feel her fur against him, so warm, and soft. As well as her more, eh, feminine parts against his chest. He could feel his face heating up, he struggled to try and get out of Francis' vice like grip, but to no avail.

"Stop, just, stop." Francis nestled her head in even more.

Jacks heard her breathing, very slow and steady, like she was asleep. His heart began to speed up, he could feel it beating from his fingertips to his knees. Jacks stood there, rigid as a board.

Francis shook slightly as she removed herself from Jacks, she sighed, and hugged herself before speaking.

"Hah, sorry, just needed some warmth." She said, rubbing the back of her head as she began walking. She walked in a weird way, tapping her hands at her sides with her head slightly tilted down. Jacks observed.

(Is she, embarrassed?) Jacks thought to himself walking behind her.

Francis seemed very open about things, words, thoughts, her body language, Jacks couldn't help but love something about that. Jacks always hated people who were shy, sure, she did just show a little embarrassment, but that was because Jacks rejected her. Jacks trotted along with the cheesiest smile in the world.

"Hey Francis?" Jacks asked, continuing beside her.

"Yea?" She replied, looking over at him.

"If this was supposed to be my little "Get used to this", quest, why did you take that guy down, you didn't even let me give chase?" Jacks said, obvious disappointment in his voice.

Francis looked down at her feet, then back at Jacks closing her black eye.

"Well, I honestly thought the same thing you did… that that man coulda' been a Sin.

{Queue dramatic music XD}

"I saw that man, in the alleyway over the woman. It seems overly exaggerated to say, maybe even a bit crazy of me…. But if that man was a Sin, if he was powerful, he really could have killed you, both of us maybe. I just couldn't take that chance, it is a Knight's duty to protect the weak, and let's face it, you're pretty weak. I just, *sigh*, you're the only person who I've actually gotten to talk to who doesn't throw me aside because of my, well, optical issues, and my general awkwardness, and who also isn't someone back at base. I've been a laughing stock by almost everyone who walks by me for years, people are horrible, you really are the first one not to be. I was honestly waiting for you to do so for a while, to cast me aside, but you haven't yet, so I just felt a connection with you, like that we could be….."

"Friends." Francis stated. She walked closer to Jacks, still with a blank expression on her face.

Jacks grinned.

"People can be horrible like you said, I should know." Jacks said with a very serious tone.

Francis changed her expression to one of comfort as she looked up at him.

"I've never really known what it's like to be…. Normal." Jacks looked down at his furless arms.

"People would discriminate me, for not having fur on my body, for being snoutless, for not having a tail, or scales, or wings, or long ears, or a pouch, or a trunk, the list goes on." Jacks said lowering his arms.

"Fawkes and Spring were my only friends, and they were more of brothers anyway." Jacks continued.

"They would always have to protect me from everyone, I over time grew accustomed to it, I softened up, I grew weak."

"If there is anything we can connect on, it is our differences as weird as it sounds."

"And because of our connections, you seem the best person to ask."

Francis' ears perked up at this remark.

"Will you help me, to become stronger, to become a Knight?" Jacks raised a hand to Francis, he smirked.

Francis gave her own big smile back and took his hand, pulling him into another hug, this time though, Jacks returned the gesture.

"Jackson Eos Tinkers." Jacks said, not removing himself.

"Francis May Gold." She returned.

Francis continued smiling burying her head in his shoulder again.

This was their first formal greeting not interrupted by anything, or anyone. They had not known each other for very long, but they both felt very at home with each other after their respective spiel. Francis wasn't cold anymore, she felt warmer than any fire could ever provide. Jacks didn't feel weak anymore, nothing but strength flowed throughout his heart. They both knew how much that they now cared about each other from just the exchange of a few sentences, it really is crazy how the mind, no, how the soul work. Francis actually ended up having to blink a tear away from her face, the small stream running down her sleek, fluffy face.

They both released the hug, and were greeted with the sound of hysterical laughter. The newfound friends looked down to uncover a certain fox, who was emanating the laughter.

THE SHIP HAS BEGUN TO SAIL! Two of our heroes have found an unusual bond between each other haven't they? So, what did ya think? Be sure to leave me a review, I don't mind hatemail! Leave questions for the characters as well if you want them to appear!