Heya, hi there, how's it going? This is the second instalment of the Kid!MC requests by SammyToon. 

Also, just for the sake of simplicity, Julian has his own place, considering that I can't remember ever actually knowing where he lives in Vesuvia (bc Mazelinka's house isn't *really* his house is it?)

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The city was alive with the morning hustle and bustle of the market. The sun was shining, the streets were crowded with shoppers. There were about 101 different aromas wafting through the air. Things were good.

At one particular stall stood a man, 6' 4" in height with curly red hair that stood up all over the place. He was standing not 4 feet from the counter where his food was laying. He busied himself with putting away the change from his purchase. The vendor was tending to a second customer. Neither man saw it coming.

A small figure darted by in the gap between the man and the counter. They were gone as soon as they came. He had only seen them in his periphery. But when he moved to take his lobster claws from the counter, he noticed that they were no longer there.

He looked up, scanning the crowd for the quick-moving figure. His eyes darted between people, searching for the same HC hair, and the unique little package of seafood they must have.

His eyes landed on a small figure with HC hair, carrying his distinctly marked package of food.

"You there! In the (colour) (clothing item)! Come back here, those are mine!" He shouted as he began to give chase to the child who was now fleeing the scene.

The child slips away before he could reach them. He pauses to scan the crowd once more.

It was then that he was approached by two palace guards who overheard his words.

"Dr Devorak! We heard you call for someone to stop. What is the matter?" The guards inquire.

"That person, the short one with HC hair wearing (clothes). They stole my lobster claws off the counter. They took off that way," Julian said, pointing in the general direction the little thief ran off.

Without another word, all three men continued in that direction, pursuing the young child with the lobster claws.

As he reached a slight clearing, Julian spotted the child who had stopped to catch their breath. As Julian approached quietly, trying to be inconspicuous, the thief spotted them and began to run again.

Julian was right behind them as they fled, weaving in and out of stalls and side streets expertly, knowing the market like the back of their hand.

After a few more tight twists and turns, the child looked over their shoulder. Julian was nowhere in sight. In his place, however, were the two palace guards.

They rounded a final corner and ducked into a clothing shop with several scarves hanging down from the top of the stall, fluttering gently in the morning breeze. They watched the silhouettes of the guards disappear from behind the thin veils of scarves.

They let out a sigh and looked about them. The vendor wasn't in sight. Reluctant to steal another item, the child pulled a large tunic over their head and wrapped a scarf around their head and shoulders. They tucked the seafood package in the tunic's pockets and casually slipped out from the stall. 

"It's just for a minute. I'll bring them right back when I'm sure no one's on the street back home," they muttered to themselves.

Once the child was a good distance from the market down an alleyway, they circled back to the clothing vendor to dump the tunic and scarf. 

Now back in the side streets, where the cacophony of the market was but a distant hum, the child slowed to a lazy walk, tired from the running and adrenaline rush of the chase.

They stopped when they came to a narrow street, not 5 feet wide, filled with garbage cans and a few stray boxes.

It was a narrow passageway behind to streets of restaurants.

The sound of fluttering fabric was all that was heard as a large figure descended from the rooftops, his large cape fluttering dramatically in the air as he landed in front of the young 

Dressed in all black from head to tow was a man with a large black and red cape, a long pointed plague mask on this face.

He was frightening as he towered over the poor child.

"Found you,"

His voice was low and slightly distorted from the mask.

The child could do nothing but stand there in sheer terror, their heart in their throat and hands trembling.

As he finally got a good look at the lobster claw thief, the man realized that they were only a child, no more than 8 years old.

His voice softened. He was no longer angry over the theft but rather concerned with the child who trembled before him, looking sickly and underfed.

"Hey," He began softly. "Are you okay?"

They did not speak. They did not move. They only stood there, wide-eyed, tears brimming.

Slowly, the man raises one gloved hand to remove his mask, and he crouched low to the ground to level with the child.

He revealed himself to be Julian Devorak, the man from whom the child had stolen lobster claws.

Before he could speak another word, the palace guards appeared around the corner.

They said nothing as they forcefully yanked the child's arms behind their back, causing them to drop the box of seafood on the ground.

"Hey! What are you doing? Can't you see we were talking? You don't need to bring them in, I won't press charges I-"

Julian's protests fell on deaf ears. The guards silently hauled the frightened child to the palace, Julian in pursuit, arguing all the way back.

Upon arriving at the cells of the palace, the guards haphazardly tossed the child into the cell and slammed the bars shut behind them.

Hands now free, they stood slowly, brushing themselves off of the dirt and hay on the ground.

Outside the cell, Julian could be seen arguing with the guards who had apprehended the child.

Another figure descended the staircase amid the bickering and silenced the trio.

"All of you, quiet, please," 

Her voice was smooth and rich and elegant. Her royal appearances reflected the very same.

"Countess," Julian began, only to be silenced when her hand raised.

"One of you, please explain to me why there is a young child detained in my cells?" She questioned the guards.

"M'lady," one began. "This is no child. They are a criminal; a thief! They stole food from the Dr and clothing from another vendor in the market this morning. They then fled the scene and resisted capture."

"Well, you didn't have to forcefully arrest them and toss them in a cell! We were having a conversation. And they're just a child!" Julian protested again.

The Countess raised a hand to her temple, silencing the bickering once more.

"What became of these stolen items?" She queried.

"I took back my meal when I found them," Julian said, lifting his container to show her.

"And what of the clothes?" She asked, turning to face the guards.

They shook their heads and shrugged their shoulders, for they did not know.

"I put them back," came a small voice.

All heads turned to the cell, looking at the child who had taken a seat on the floor, nestled in the straw that littered the floor.

"I brought them back to the stall when I was done with them. I was only borrowing them for a few minutes..."

"I see," the Countess said, raising an eyebrow. "Where are your parents, child? Did they not teach you right from wrong?"

The child folded their arms and looked to the side, clearly not wanting to talk about the subject.

"They're out," they said matter-of-factly.

"Out where?" Nadia pressed.

"I don't know."

"Why would they leave an eight-year-old without supervision?"

"They didn't." 

"Pardon? Did they not leave you alone? Was there someone watching you?" The countess was growing weary of these short and tedious two-word answers.

"I was four, not eight." MC corrected.

Nadia was taken aback, shock quite evident on her face. She made no move to mask it either. 

"Where do you live? Where do you sleep?" She asked, but with a softer, more gentle tone.

"Where you found me. I live there." The child said, now fiddling with straw on the ground.

"But," Julian began. "There was nothing there but garbages. That street is the back alley for two streets of restaurants."

"Yeah and?" The child asks, looking up to meet his gaze.

"You live alone? In an alley? With no shelter?" He presses, worry written all over his features.

They nodded silently, resuming their fidgeting with the straw.

"I am Nadia, Countess of Vesuvia. What is your name, dear?" Nadia prompted gently, trying to get the child to open up a little more.

"MC," They said plainly.

"Well, MC, I can't bring you to an orphanage, they have no room. You can't remain in the palace as a guest, we do not harbour thieves of any age. You will have to remain here I'm afraid," the Countess stated.

"No, you can't leave them here, Countess. They're a child. A child who hasn't been raised at all. No parents, no sense of right and wrong. They have no one," Julian pleaded, eyes wide and full of emotion.

"Then what do you propose I do Dr Devorak?" Nadia questioned with a look of slight exasperation on her face.

"I'll take them. They can stay with me. I'll be responsible for their behaviour. Just please, don't let them stay here whatever you do." The doctor was practically begging.

Nadia paused for a moment, contemplating letting the child go. She sighed deeply and a look of resignation crossed her face.

"Very well then Doctor. They are your responsibility now,"

"Thank you, Countess," Julian said, bowing his head.

Nadia waved his thanks off, not needing the praise for his decision. She then turned to the guards and nodded for them to unlock and open the cell.

As the bars slid to the side, MC stood and walked out of the cell, not meeting anyone's gaze, fidgeting with the hem of their clothes.

"Thank you, Countess Nadia," they mumbled, looking at their feet.

"It is not I that you should be thanking, MC, but Dr Devorak" Nadia corrected, drawing MC's attention to the Countess and then to the doctor.

"Thank you," MC said again, this time facing the red-headed man before them.

Julian smiled. "Of course," he said before placing a hand on their shoulder.

MC tensed at the sudden touch, then relaxed a moment later, not used to friendly or familial touch.

Julian then guided the young child in his care out of the palace and off of the grounds.

When they were a safe distance away from the palace, on a back road somewhere between the coliseum and the Rowdy Raven, MC stopped mid-stride. When he realized that his charge was no longer at his side, Julian stopped too and looked behind him.

"Um, I'm sorry I took your lobster claws. And, uh, thanks for getting me out of there" MC mumbled. "I'll just go now, thanks Dr Devorak, sir"

"Where do you think you're going?" Julian asked, confused.

"Somewhere. Anywhere. I don't know," they said, looking to the side and then to the ground.

"Well I know where you're going," Julian said with a confident smile. "You're coming home with me now. I'm responsible for you."

MC rolled their eyes and sighed. "You don't have to keep acting. There aren't any guards around you know,"

"Why do you think I'm acting?"

"If my parents didn't want me, why would you?" MC retorted, now on the verge of tears.

Julian rushed to stand in front of the crying child and enveloped them in an all-consuming hug.

"Oh MC," He said softly. "I know what it's like to not have your parents. I may have had Mazelinka as an honourary grandmother, but I know what it's like to feel dejected from your family"

MC's figure relaxed in his arms, letting him hug them and console them and for once, they didn't feel so alone.

When they pulled away, tears drying up, Julian held them at arm's length and looked them over.

"You need to eat. I can tell you're certainly malnourished. And in need of some decent rest. You really should come home with me. We'll get you taken care of, Doctor's orders,"

"Really?" MC asked, hopeful.

"Really really" he promised as he smiled and extended his hand.

MC took hold of his hand and let Julian guide them to where they would soon call home.

EXTRA ENDING: TIME SKIP: 1 Year

After they had been taken in by the kind doctor, MC was well-fed, well-rested and acclimated to home life with the doctor as their adoptive father figure. They were much happier now and had no reason to steal for food or clothes.

Now that they were looked after, MC discovered their natural talent for magic. Julian, upon discovering MC's ability to start fires and refill their glass of water whenever, was frantic and rushed MC to Asra's shop, looking for guidance.

When Asra opened the door to a panicking Ilya and one very confused child, he couldn't help but laugh. Despite things being rocky between the two ex-lovers, Asra was more than happy to take MC under his wing and teach them magic.

MC also spent a fair amount of time with Aunt Portia and Great-grandmother Mazelinka aswell, learning traditional cooking and magical cooking as well as general badassery.

With a family like those four, MC was never again alone and never once felt like they weren't wanted.

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And there's another one done! That's a lot of words. I hope you guys enjoyed this story, I'm having so much fun writing these and I can only hope you have just as much fun reading them!

Thanks a bunch,

- Fandoms <3