[center][b][u]Coast of Nassau, Jamaica[/b][/u][/center]

"They'll spoil soon 'nuff," said a young, Jamaican boy, no older than 15. He had a frail frame and his thin stature nearly gave him off as malnourished were it not for his strong calves and forearms. He smiled at his mother, who looked much weaker in comparison. She simply clicked her tongue and shook her head: "Only thing fi' spoil is that damn duppy. All yeh been doin, pickney. All day, 'ma, I'm off t'see Duppy' or 'Ma, Duppy needs I." 

The boy smiled, "You just mad y'never see him, ma," he murmured as he collected the bag of mangoes and ran out of the shabby hut. His mother laughed weakly as her son darted out of their home faster than she had the chance to bless him. "That damn boy and his damn friends..."

---

The wind was elegantly chaotic against Jin's relaxed body. The sea danced against the shoreline, crashing and retreating in beautiful waltz responsible for the breeze that brushed past his features. He sat on a single, white log that had become sort of an icon of his presence - a ghost tree washed up from what-land and what-time. He was alone in the area; no one ventured further along the coast since rumors of his existence began weeding their ways into the local conversations. Jin loved his unchosen alias: "Duppy", or the "ghost" of Nassau. He loved the thought of being significant enough to become and urban legend more than the fact that the people of this coast had correctly labeled him with a nickname that perfectly suited his nature. But they were [i]his[/i] people now. He couldn't forget that. From his days of suffering, impoverished and lonely, to his time spent as a living folktale, he knew that his heart now belonged to these people. Jamaica was his, he was Jamaica's.

"I got the kind you liked, boss," came the voice of the young lad holding a sack of mangoes. Jin instantly whirled around and spun a dagger he had been playing with into a defensive hold. The boy flinched and nearly fell back, caught off guard by the sudden motion. However, Jin quickly relaxed and sheathed his dagger with a chuckle. "You know better than to sneak up on me, Goyo. Especially when I'm in my zone."

Jin reached into the bag of mangoes and chose one that fit comfortably into his palm. He then redrew his dagger and tapped it on the log next to him, motioning for Goyo to take a seat. As he began cutting the mango, he tilted his head to the side and spoke to Goyo in a warm, friendly tone. "How's ma?" he asked. Goyo scoffed, "Always gettin' pon me like a hawk, brothah'." Jin laughed and elbowed Goyo gently, "She's yah mother, Goyo. It's her job." Goyo shifted in his seat and smacked his lips in disagreement, "Still..."

Jin smiled and handed a few cut pieces of the fruit to Goyo, who began chewing on them immediately. Jin then brought the rest of the mango to his mouth, taking a moment to enjoy the sweet fruit before speaking again. "Anymore of them suits come lookin' for me?"

Goyo nodded, "Me and the boys told 'em to get movin', mind dey own damn busines, yeah?" Jin shook his head and frowned, "Goyo, no, you can't be doing that. Who knows what those guys are capable of? They look li-" 

Goyo held up a hand, interrupting Jin, "Dey look like dey would get dey ass kicked if dey even look at yah funny." Jin sat still for a moment, looking at Goyo with a smile. He knew that it was most of the younger crowds that adored him and his stories. He loved them all like brothers and sisters. But at the same time, he knew that it was his fault that a few of them had been taken away for choosing to hide him. It was this that caused most of the older folks of the city to despise Jin. 

Jin finished his slices and stretched, "I'm going with them." Goyo froze. He opened his mouth to argue, but Jin gently put a hand on his shoulder, "I'm going to get them the hell away from our home, then come right back. I won't be gone long." Goyo simply stared at him with a frown. He knew that Jin was contemplating leaving with them, and he hated even thinking about what it would be like without "Duppy." The boy looked down solemnly, failing to think of anything to say to dispute Jin's declaration. Jin smiled and pat Goyo's bat lightly, "Goyo... I..." Jin squint as he looked out at the ocean and then back to the young boy, "I think of you as a little brother." 

Goyo's face instantly sprang up with a new spark in his eyes. Jin nodded, "And I'd be the worst man on Earth to break a promise to my brother. I'll be back, I swear it." Goyo felt a single tear build in his right eye, which he simply forced back with excessive blinking. He smiled and looked back at Jin, "One condition."

Jin raised his brow and nodded once, "What?"

Goyo chuckled and pointed to Jin's hair. It had grown past his shoulders and still had the smooth, natural texture about it. 

"You let ma lock yah hair."