The hustle and bustle of the market grew intense as the sun beamed overhead. It was a blistering day as it had been for the past week, give or take a month. Working-class men and women joined hands in purchasing produce along with trinkets, small gifts for their loved ones, little oddities that might aid in their adventures, anything they could get their hands on with their meager salary. In all its organized chaos, it remained an essential visit of a hard day's end. Sweat dripped off the tanned forehead of a young girl. Her light blonde hair seemed to capture the sunlight and reflect it around her, akin to white beams of sunlight. However, unlike the uniformity of the sun, the girl had disheveled hair along with old, run-down clothing. "I'm hungry," she whined to the broad pair of shoulders that walked briskly in front of her. At first, he paid no attention to the young one, as if he were too lost in thought to respond. His head moved up and down quickly, examining the contents of each passing stall. "I'll make something for you when we get home, just hold out until then." The young man spoke with disinterest as he approached a stall bearing various plant life. He was more focused on the potential healing factor of a strange-looking plant he laid eyes on than the little one's complaints. She huffed in response to her caretaker's lack of interest. She looked around, her foot tapping against the cobblestone street, growing anxious for attention, action, anything. Her eyes landed on a stall in the distance, a row of succulent yellow fruits lay neatly on the stand, calling her attention. She licked her lips in anticipation of the sweet fruit, a fruit that could soon be in her stomach. She looked up at her caretaker only to be faced with the back of his knee-length green hair as he bartered with the salesman for an item that was far too overpriced. Slowly, she walked away, making sure he wouldn't notice. When she knew she was in the clear, her movements became swift as she weaved in between shoppers, her hands waiting to clutch the juicy fruit. No one had noticed her as she moved faster than the human eye could comprehend, a slight buzz lingering in the air where she had last stepped. In these moments, she was simply a blur or gust of wind. Like lightning, if you blink, you'd miss her. These streets trained her to be elusive, to sneak and steal, to survive. That fruit was going to be hers, rightfully or not. She reached the stall with little effort. Her hand reached above her, ready to swipe at a newfound prize. With one quick motion, she could easily grab the fruit before anyone would even notice. Just a quick snack before dinner, she thought to herself, and it would've been if her plans weren't interrupted. "Hey, kid!" The fruit vendor called out. Her body stiffened at the sound. Her legs instinctively assumed a position ready to run. A rugged older man emerged from behind the stand. His body lay covered in scars as his muscles threatened to burst out of his shirt. This wasn't some regular stall vendor; it was clear he's strong and could hurt her if he chose to do so. It's not unheard of, and she perfectly fits the demographic of that type of violence. The youngling blinked rapidly as thoughts raced through her mind. 'If I run fast enough, 'I shouldn't have tried to steal this!' 'What if I get arrested?' 'What should I do?' Her thoughts were fairly irrational and convoluted. She hadn't stolen or attempted to steal anything in over a year; her skills have deteriorated quite a bit. She cursed under her breath, questioning what possessed her to do this now. She tilted her head up to face the man standing in front of her. But his attention was fixed on someone else. Someone smaller, scrawnier, and a much messier thief than her. They reached animalistically at fallen fruit on the ground.

Juice dropped down the dry lips of a child as they crouched over, scarfing every last bit of fruit into their mouth as if it would disappear from their hands if they didn't eat it fast enough. Their matted nest of hair covered the majority of their thin body, making them appear more monstrous than childlike. Her eyes met theirs for just a moment; she was confronted with sunken, tired eyes, the pain of hunger, cold, and abandonment. It was as if she were looking into a mirror of her own past. She bit down on her lip before grabbing their hand, taking off with intense speed. She ensured she didn't go too fast as not to tire the young one out, but didn't notice the labored breaths behind her. The vendor called out angrily behind them, laying down words that should never be spoken in the presence of children. But she did not care; she knew she needed to get them away from trouble. She ran until she found a quiet alleyway where she believed she would be safe from the angry vendor and potential aid called to calm down the ruckus. The child stood behind her, panting heavily. Their body length, thick jet black hair lay unruly, covering what little of their face was left. She examined the child, noticing the extreme malnourishment. "Why did you... Why did you do that? You could've gotten in trouble!" She reprimanded the kid as if she wasn't going to do the same thing. She crossed her arms and huffed before handing them another golden fruit that she had managed to swipe during their escape. The kid peered at the fruit, hesitating before weakly reaching out.

"Elidi," A voice spoke deep and firm.

Elidi shivered at the sound of her name, a strand of golden blonde hair falling across her face. The air felt tense, the ground seemingly shaking. The sheer amount of magical power being released was not that of an average mage. It was felt not only by the two children in front of him but by merchants and shoppers alike, as everyone seemed to stop moving, scared of the sudden surge of energy being released. The child in front of Elidi began shaking violently, dropping the precious fruit from their hand. They stepped backwards, tripping over their own hair. They scratched at the cobblestone floor, incoherent whimpers escaped their lips as their eyes widened in fear. Elidi turned around, faced with her very angry caretaker. "Soleil.." She laughed awkwardly, her leg shaking not out of fear but looming anxiety. She needed an escape now. Soleil may be stronger than her, but she won in the speed department (When he let her). Elidi eyed the brick wall at the end of the alley, assessing how fast she could scale it. Soleil stood at the entrance of the alleyway, the setting sun perfectly falling behind him. An aura of pure energy surrounded him, his stare striking intimidation into anyone who noticed. However, to everyone's surprise, and some delight, he sighed, calming himself before gently moving Elidi to the side, kneeling down in front of the fallen child. A gentle smile formed on his face as he extended his hand to them. "What's your name?" He asked, his long green hair framing his face. The child kicked himself back more, his body exuding pure fright. Soleil maintains eye contact but retracts his hand. His chest burns, heart aching at the sight of the poor boy. "I'm not going to hurt you, I promise." He speaks gently. Elidi stands mildly perplexed at the situation. She had once been in the same shoes as the child, but she never really got around to processing those feelings. The child looks behind Soleil as if trying to find an escape, then hesitantly towards Elidi. She opens her mouth but cannot find the words to comfort him; instead, she simply nods. After some time, the child stands themself up, their legs shaking, still tense with fright. "Atlas." The child speaks wearily, his voice barely able to be heard. "A boy!" Elidi cheers out. Soleil turns to her with a finger on his lips, then back to Atlas. "Are you out here alone? Where are your parents?" Soleil asks. He slumps his shoulders, attempting to make himself look as small as possible. Atlas simply shakes his head, parents being a foreign concept to the little one. Soleil ponders for a second, then turns around on his knees, angling his hands so Atlas can climb onto his back. "I'd rather not leave you alone out here since it's getting dark. Come with us, we'll treat you to a meal, and if you still aren't comfortable with us after you can leave." Soleil says, gesturing for Atlas to come forward. Elidi smiles, her hands swaying with excitement at the thought of a new friend. Atlas hesitates for a moment before walking over to Soleil. His shaking hand lingers over Soleil's shoulder. He's scared and but he's also exhausted. He cannot remember the last time someone had shown him such kindness. Elidi excitedly walks over and hoists Atlas onto Soleil's back, earning a surprised yelp from Atlas. "Elidi..." Soleil grumbles side eyeing the mess of blonde hair. She simply winks at Atlas and sticks her tongue out in the direction of Soleil. Soleil stands up with a grunt and readjusts Atlas on his back. Atlas digs his face into the sweet scent and newfound warmth. There was a hint of familiarity that he couldn't quite understand. He was overcome with varying emotions that he did not have the words to express. Instead, he remained quiet, listening to the banter of the two.

As Soleil walked out of the alleyway, he noticed the vendor had begun to pack up their merchandise. In the distance, the fruit vendor grumbles as he shakes a bag of coins. Soheil was a bit peeved that he couldn't get everything he wanted, but believed the boy lying on his back might become a worthwhile investment. "Elidi, I hope you know you're still in trouble. You could've asked me to buy the fruit instead." Elidi crosses her arms as she walks. "I know I just-" Soleil shakes his head. "There is no excuse. You need to start listening to me when I teach you things," he says. "Whatever," she whispers under her breath. "Don't get fresh with me." Soleil barks. Elidi opens her mouth, then shuts it, realizing this back and forth will just get her into more trouble.

Atlas had found himself feeling drowsy, his eyes occasionally losing focus. He wanted to stay awake and continue listening, but he couldn't resist being engulfed by the warmth of Soleil's back. Slowly, he drifted into well-needed rest.