Chapter Text
“The Kid looks bored…”
“Huh?” Namur looks over to the human child they’ve taken in, “I guess he does.”
‘Sunny’ their newest, currently temporary, addition to the ship was lying down on his stomach next to Stefan, watching people walk to and from their chores or tasks.
“Should we try doing something with him?”
“Like what? I’m not an expert in human children.”
“Neither am I…”
“Maybe take him somewhere on the next island.” Namur suggests, “I’ve heard he likes exploring.”
“What’s the next Island again?”
“Cornnell.” Namur sneers with a shudder, “And their damn rich population and pollution. “How can humans make that much trash anyways?”
“Beats me, I scavenge for parts.” Rakuyo answers as an idea comes to him. “Maybe I’ll take him with me, rich people's dumps are always filled with tossed out jewels and shit. Maybe I can give him a scavenger hunt.”
“Might work, but I’ll be passing this island.” Namur grumbles out, “For the obvious reasons.”
“Of course. Gotta go see what scraps the others might need!”
With this idea in mind he began asking around for things people needed. Of course it was the usual, scrap wood and metal for minor repairs around the ship, and ‘anything interesting’ whatever the hell that meant but… he’ll make it work.
“Hey Kid.” Rakuyo crouches down next to him, “You’re with me once we land, we’re going treasure hunting!”
That seemed to perk the Kid up as he was now hanging off of him, swinging against his arm like he’s trying to pull everything closer to the shore.
“Hold on, we still need to wait for the ship to dock.” Rakuyo tells him, “It’ll only take another few moments.”
His words seemed to fall on deaf ears as the Kid kept pulling at him. It was impressive how strong Sunny was as Rakuyo struggled to not budge from his spot.
“Alright alright.” Relenting as the ship got close enough that they could at least jump to shore safely, “Come on.”
Hooking his arm around the boy’s stomach he took off to a run. Leaping off the ship’s railing he waved to Marco, earning a pointed and flat look and cleared the water as his feet touched land.
Cornnell looked like it was made of glitter, sparking in the sunlight as rich people milled about pretending to be important. Rakuyo ignored the city and turned down the other path, toward the towers of trash and garbage.
Thankfully, depending on your views, the population of the dump was only a handful of people, most live within the city itself so there isn’t normally any issues with the locals while he savages.
“Alright Sunny!” He sets the boy down at the edge of the landfill, “We are looking for any of the gems and jewels those rich bastards toss out, and any metal and wood that seem usable alright?”
But unlock the earlier enthusiasm he had, the boy just sat down in a crouch, wrapping his arms around his legs as he stares out over the trash pile. The smile gone from his face.
But he didn’t look like he was upset? That was good at least… right?
Right?
“Hey? You okay kid?” Rakuyo leans over him, “I know dumpster diving isn’t the greatest treasure hunting method but it can still be fun…”
The Kid wasn’t even listening to him as he tilted his head, eyes never wavering from the land of trash. The pirate scratched his head, maybe they should head back?
It was like he was trying to decide something?
“You want to head bac-“
Just as he was about to worry and ask if he wanted to return to the ship, Sunny's face split into a grin and he jumped up, running full speed into the dump.
“Well then…”
Watching Sunny in the dump was something.
At first Rakuyo was worried the kid would pull something out and knock over one of the trash piles down onto him… but the kid just used his endless energy to crash around, digging through piles with ease finding all sorts of things.
They had already found everything they needed, and then some, Rakuyo was now just letting Sunny burn off extra energy. A steel pipe held the kid’s attention for a while as he swung it around like he was testing out its weight.
Some people for his division came to help haul their scavenge back to the ship. Rakuyo was quick to organize their help before a young sound voice shouted from across the dump.
“Hey!” Two kids angrily ran up to Sunny, pointing to what looked like tarnished metal object, looked like a toy telescope, he had picked up from somewhere, “That’s ours! Give it back!”
“No!” Another young, but posher, voice pipe up as another kid pop up from around the trash pile, looking out of place in his noble clothes, “That’s mine!”
“Yeah right! Finder’s keeper!” The taller kid of the duo snark to the rich kid, “If you wanted to keep it you shouldn’t have thrown it out in the first place!”
“Yeah, that’s our treasure!” The other one adds, “You can’t have it either!”
“My atrocious step-mother tossed it!” The rich kid informed them, “My mom gave that to me, I want it back!”
Rakuyo wasn’t worried about a bunch of kids beefing it, but he was a bit worried as Sunny just watched the three with a blank face.
“I’ll pay you handsomely if you return my item.” The rich kid turns to Sunny, “It means a lot to me!”
“No! It’s ours!”
Sunny didn’t seem swayed by their plea as he just stared at them then. Rakuyo was curious about what he would do as he watched the squabble.
Suddenly Sunny’s grin was back, quickly morphing into a smug face and he stuck his tongue out at all three of them in mocking and took off running with the object.
“Hey!”
All three kids chased him. The kids were fast but Sunny was faster, dodging their attempts to grab him. Rakuyo was honestly impressed, especially by the rich kid, Sunny was obviously messing with them, even going as far as to impede them or getting the stuck by knocking the trash piles down onto them.
Eventually all three teamed up, working together to try and stop Sunny.
“Got it!” The rich kid shouted as he snatches the telescope from Sunny’s hand after the three of them managed to pin him down. “Now I can…”
The smaller boy among them started crying.
“But…”
Sunny took this moment to sit up, startling the three boys, probably worried he was going to take the treasure back… But Sunny just gave them a big smile and point at each of them, then to the item.
“… you want use to share it?” The taller kid guessed before pointing to his shorter friend. “I mean, I already shared it with this loser.”
“… Here.” The rich kid looked away, offering the item back to the two boys, “If I take it back my step-mother will just toss it again. At least this way I know where it is.”
“Really! Thanks!” The short boy happily grabbed it, hugging the metal close to him. “You can come see it whenever you want ya know.”
“That’s if you don’t mind hanging out with us ‘garbage rats’.” The taller boy huffs out, “then I don’t see the harm of you stopping by to see it either.”
“Hardly.” The rich kid turns away from them, “… Although it was fun chasing this guy down… I suppose I can stop by when I can… You two aren’t all that bad it seems.”
Rakuyo missed it as he watched the surprisingly wholesome scene, but Sunny snuck away from them, appearing next to Rakuyo, almost startling him.
“You ready to head back?” The pirate asks, getting a nod, “Let’s go then.”
Sunny brought the pipe he found with him as they walk back to where the ship was docked. Half way there Sunny stops, crouching back down tucked into himself, making Rakuyo worry something was wrong… Sunny seemed sad about something as his face was smushed against his knees, his finger running through the dirt.
“What’s wrong Sunny?” Rakuyo crouched down next to him, wondering if he should go get Marco or Thatch. “Are-“
Rakuyo paused as he realized that Sunny wasn’t just messing with the dirt to distract himself, he was drawing something.
Three figures, two with a hat of some kind, one smaller than the other two, each with a line for a stick in their hands.
“Who-“
“There you are!” Thatch runs up to them, “Marco says we’re heading out early.”
“How come?”
“Um, well.” Thatch pulls him away from Sunny a bit. “There’s a visiting noble in town seemingly asking around for someone matching Sunny’s description, Marco’s worried so we’re leaving to be better safe then sorry.”
“Understood.” Rakuyo turns back to Sunny, his drawing gone, rubbed away by Sunny’s own hand, “Let’s go Sunny, it’s time for dinner anyways.
The boy’s somber mood was instantly replaced with joy as he runs on ahead of them, eager to go eat.
He wished he could share the joy but he and Thatch shared a look.
Someone was after their little ball of sun.