This little story idea just wandered into my head and refused to leave until I wrote it. So, enjoy!

And we are so fragile,
And our cracking bones make noise.
And we are just,
Breakable, breakable, breakable girls and boys.

- Breakable by Ingrid Michaelson

It was mid-Autumn when he saved her life and for that she would be forever grateful.

The town was dirty was the first thought Ginko had as he walked through the main entrance. Run-down and overtaken with poverty, a good meal was obviously out of sight. Continuing down the main road, he took a deep drag of his cigar.

It was midday and most of the shops were already closed, either that or just out of business completely. This town was hell on Earth. Maybe if he looked around long enough he would be able to find a place to sleep for the night, but the more he progressed through the town the more this idea seemed improbable.

He still had time. He would ask directions for the closest town or village and see if he could make it there before dark. Even though seeing in the dark wasn't exactly a problem for him.

Asking someone though seemed out of the question since everyone cowered around him or ran inside to their badly kept shacks. Outsiders apparently weren't welcome. About to give up, Ginko turned a corner to see an absolutely disgusting sight.

In a line stood five little girls, none of them looked over the age of ten, all dressed in rags with dirt smeared across their faces. A stern looking middle-aged man was standing a ways away from them keeping his eyes trained on two elderly men who were looking intently at a girl with cropped dark hair.

Ginko's first instinct was to keep walking, it wasn't any of his business, but when one of the elderly men groped the young girl's bottom in his filthy hand all he could see was red. Taking the cigar out of his mouth, he smeared it on the sole of his shoe and threw it to the ground.

Strolling over casually, Ginko observed each girl. There was no way he could save them all. He was only one man after all. There was the girl with the dark cropped hair, another with tan skin and tears in her eyes, one had long hair and carried a bit of seniority amongst the other girls, a look of complete lose and defeat was etched across one girl's features, and then there was the last one.

She had golden hair and liquid amber colored eyes, perfectly pink lips and cherry stained cheeks, tears streaming freely from her eyes and clenched fists. That was her. He would save her life and feel guilty about not saving the others for the rest of his life.

Reaching the girls, he kept a safe distance from each one and pretended to look over them one by one. Once he reached the girl with golden hair he looked at the middle-aged man, the seller he assumed, and jerked a thumb in her direction.

"How much for her?" Ginko asked, feeling like scum as the words tumbled off his lips.

"Not for sale, you're welcome to the others though," the seller stated.

"Why not?" Ginko pressed. "Has she already been toyed with?"

"No, she's reserved," the seller said. "Unless you can double the price."

Taking a risk, Ginko slid his pack off of his shoulders and opened it up. He took his money sack and tossed it to the seller. The seller caught it, opened it, and rifled through the coins. His eyes widened and he pocketed the money.

"She's all yours," he said.

"Excellent," Ginko smirked, grabbed the young girl's forearm and dragging her away from the other four girls.

She didn't start fighting him until they were out of sight.

"No!" she cried in a voice that sounded equivalent to wind chimes and birdsong. "Please. Don't do this."

Attempting to free herself from his grasp was useless as he steered her out of the town and towards the surrounding forest. He had to give her credit as she dug her bare feet into the dirt and clawed into his arm. Once out of earshot, but still in the shallow region of the forest, he stopped walking and looked at her.

"I'm not going to do anything to you except take you somewhere safe," Ginko said sharply.

She stopped fighting but gave him a wary look. "I-I don't believe you."

"On my way here I came across a forgotten cabin in the forest," he said. "Only one room, but it's only a half hour walk to the village I was at before yours. You'll be safe there."

"You're going to save me?" she asked meekly. "Really?"

"I think I already have," Ginko said, releasing her arm and giving an inward sigh of relief when she didn't make a run for it.

If she was an older girl with more experience she probably would have come up with the highly probable idea of him playing nice just so he could corner her, but thankfully she wasn't. That would have been too much work for him.

They walked in silence through the forest. The girl trailed a bit behind him as they traveled.

"Today's my birthday," she said suddenly.

"How old are you?" Ginko asked, looking back at her.

"Nine," the girl said.

A sudden urge to run back to that filthy town and kill that damn seller rose within Ginko's being, but he restrained himself and continued to trek on.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"Ginko," he replied. "And yours?

"I don't know," she admitted. "Mama and Papa never gave me one. They were killed before they could."

The fact that a nine year-old girl could say the word "kill" so easily made his insides churn in disgust.

"Sorry," he managed.

Silence overcame them once again but curiosity overtook him as he continued to glance at her golden hair.

"Was one of your parents a foreigner?" Ginko asked. "Your golden hair is quite beautiful."

"No," she shook her head. "Mama and Papa both had dark hair. I was born with dark hair too until I fell into the pond."

Now he was very curious.

"Your hair turned that color after you fell into a pond?" Ginko inquired. "That's a little hard to believe."

"But it's true!" she exclaimed.

Her sudden brashness surprised him, but he still managed to chuckle to himself. She was a lively one.

"I was living with Gran-Gran when I fell in the pond when she was taking a nap," the girl explained, flailing her arms every which way. "We had such a pretty golden fish in there. I couldn't breathe and my head got all foggy. The next thing I remember is waking up next to the pond with my hair all golden. My eyes look different too. The fish that was in the pond died though."

To Ginko it didn't sound like a fish, but more like a Mushi. A Mushi that had given her life when she was on the verge of losing hers. The story reminded him of his own story of how he had lost his eye and his memories. Maybe that was why he had become so taken with her back at the town.

"You don't believe me," she said, taking his long silence as disbelief.

"I do," Ginko said simply. "Say, do you mind if I give you a birthday present?"

He could tell just by looking at her widened amber eyes and gaping mouth that she didn't mind at all.

"Kingyo," Ginko stated. "Do you mind if I name you Kingyo?"

"Really?" she asked. "You want to give me a name?"

"Yeah," he said, a smile creeping involuntarily on to his lips. "Do you like it?"

He took her frantic nodding as a yes.

"What's it mean?" Kingyo asked, now walking by his side, her tiny hand fisting his pant leg.

"Goldfish," he informed. "It suits you, I think."

"Me too," she gushed. "I think… I think this is the best birthday I've ever had."

It wasn't long until they reached the forgotten cabin. He slid open the door to see it relatively clean with no furniture. It would do. She was clinging on to his hand as they headed to the small village. The feeling of being so heavily relied on as he bought food, a futon, a small chest of drawers, and two kimonos was absolutely smothering. He had never felt so needed in his entire life.

Once arriving back at the cabin, Ginko quickly arranged Kingyo's new belongings in her new home. She sat quietly watching him as he laid the futon in the center of the room.

"How old are you Ginko?" she asked.

"Today is my 25th birthday," Ginko said.

She didn't say anything else until he was standing outside, handing her the rest of his money and lighting a cigar.

"I'll be on my way," Ginko said. "Do you remember your way to the village?"

"Yes," she said.

"Good," Ginko said. "That money will last you for about a year believe it or not, but only if you spend it wisely."

"What do I do when all the money runs out?" Kingyo asked.

"I'll be back in exactly a year," Ginko said with a soft smile as he ruffled her hair. "Happy birthday, Kingyo."

"Happy birthday, Ginko," she replied, her eyes welling with tears.

With that final note he began to walk deeper into the forest, wondering where his travels would take him next.

So that's chapter one. I hope you enjoyed it. Review! God bless!