I know, I know, everyone and their grandma writes about their FF character, but I'm truly fascinated by the idea of children at war with a tangible evil. And when you have a sick mind like I do it tends to occur to you that Fusion Matter IS acidic, it burns, that means melting children!
It takes everything away from you, slowly. Eventually it will take even your memories, your dreams of what you had. When it's over, if it's ever over, you won't even know who you are anymore. Even if you're still a kid then, you won't be a kid anymore. Kids don't have to watch other kids suffer and die.
Kids don't have to worry about their own mortality. Kids aren't scared to become attached to each other for fear of the pain of loss. These things are unavoidable in adulthood, as life only lasts so long. But these are not things for us. War is not for us.
. . .
Ashley was thankful she hadn't left her hair long, it was miserable enough plastered to her face as it was. She rummaged through her things for a tie, pulling it up and away from her skin.
The infection had been held back to an impressive degree, but it was still worsening. Filtration systems kept the acidic matter out of their plumbing, but the rain... the rain couldn't be helped. Too many water sources were polluted. Fortunately it was just really irritating, the burn didn't do any real damage.
She sighed and let her head drop, bracing the heels of her palms on the bench beneath her. The bus stop offered little shelter, but she was still too far from the culdesac to just make a run for it. Ash shook out of her jacket, apologizing to 2 as she'd forgotten him riding shotgun in her hood.
As much as she'd prefer to keep his company, she dismissed the little sprite and began running system diagnostics on her suit. Not that she thought anything would be wrong - Dexlabs made quality stuff, and the nanobelt was a prime example - she just needed something to do that didn't feel like thumb twiddling.
It was only at the sound of heavy breathing and heavier footfalls that she looked away from her monitor. Out of the haze of the downpour appeared the figure of a boy, about her age, perhaps younger, whose hair made it obvious he shared her crazed affinity for green. He collapsed on the bench, pink with irritation, and tried to catch his breath.
After having calmed some, he turned his head and smiled at her. Ash gave a brief, faint smile back. He pulled off one soaked glove and stuck out an almost dry hand.
"Chief Axebullet."
She gave the offered hand a brisk shake. "Ashley Roark."