Because I have the insane idea that every author has to write (or at least think up) a school fic for an anime they like =)

Ages if anyone's curious: Break=22, Liam=19, Gilbert/Lotti =18, Vincent/Fang=17, Echo/Doug=16 Oz/Sharon/Alice=15, Ada/Elliot/Leo=13, Phillipe/Lily=11


A man with stark white hair, mostly hidden by his black hoodie stopped at the opening to an alleyway, blinking his blood red eye as he looked at the odd sight. In the middle of the alley was a young girl, maybe around fifteen years old. If the hooded man didn't know better, he'd say the girl looked to be pouting, this thought made the man smile, changing his course and heading over to the girl.

"Are you alright?" He asked, pulling out a headphone from his ear as he crouched before the girl. Said girl jumped, clearly unaware that the other had been there before he spoke.

Making a point of looking away the girl answered, "Hmph. Oz told me not to talk to strangers."

The man chuckled at the odd reply, making the girl flush an embarrassed and annoyed red. "Alright then, how about this? My name's Xerxes Break. Now you know my name I'm no stranger right?" The girl nodded, "So, miss, what may I ask, is your name?"

"… Alice." The girl answered after a moment. Xerxes smiled.

"Pleasure to meet you Alice-kun. So, now we know each other, how about answering my first question properly; are you alright? You look a little down."

Alice looked up, dubiously raising her eyebrow at her new acquaintance. "Not really your business is it Clown?" she answered.

"Less sass with me is you don't mind." Break said, half pouting, before questioning, "And what do you mean 'Clown'? I told you my name's Xerxes!"

"You look like a clown is all." Alice shrugged, before sighing. "Look, I don't have time to mess anymore; I need to get back to Oz before he and that Seaweed-Head leave me here."

"'Seaweed-Head'?" Break blinked, knowing someone who fit that description. "You don't mean Gilbert Nightray do you?"

"Hmm?" Alice paused, half-way to standing, "Yeah, that's Seaweed-Head," she confirmed nodding.

"So then Oz is Oz Vessalius?" Break asked, suddenly filled with curiosity.

"Right again. Now mind moving Clown? I'm leaving." Alice stated with a self satisfied smirk on her face when the male complied without arguing about his nickname.

Break stood there a moment, watching as the odd girl made her way out of the alley. There was a flash of silver and Break and Alice were on the floor.

"What the hell you perverse moron!" Alice screeched from under Break, but he wasn't looking at her. Indicating silently to Alice she looked up to see a dagger buried into the plastic wheelie-bin behind them. "W…What?"

Break stood up, his eyes never leaving the man who had entered the alley way a few seconds ago and was running towards them.

"You kids alright?" He called, though Break could see he was angry and pulling another knife as he hurried towards them. Reaching behind him, Break wrapped his fingers around the dagger's hilt, easily pulling it free, before lunging at the other male, the chink of metal on metal resounding throughout the alley.

"Hm. Not bad, I was really hoping I'd get you that time." The man spoke, his voice becoming gruffer with the effort of pushing against Break. Realising strength wouldn't work, he changed tack, and drew back before slashing repeatedly, hoping to catch the other off guard.

Alice stared up in shock as Break stood above her, easily keeping up with the slashes and even forcing the assailant back, before ducking and uppercutting, causing the man to stumble and drop his blade.

"Not very good are you?" Break said stepping on the man's hand as it went for the knife. "Really now, picking on little children. What were you after money? The girl?" Break questioned, slowly increasing his weight on the man's hand, causing him to cry out in pain. "Answer me you bloody twit!"

"T…The girl." The man answered. "Not for what you think though!" He added quickly, seeing Break's eyes fill with rage.

"… Why then?"

"I was told to wasn't I? A job for pay," the man answered.

"What does whoever paid you want with me?" Alice asked now on her feet, though she stood behind Break.

"Dunno. I was just told to take you to 'im." The man answered very uncooperatively.

"Most likely because of your connections." Break answered instead as he turned to Alice.

"Connections?" Clearly the girl didn't know who she was friends with.

"Vessalius Oz-sama is the only heir of the Vessalius Dukedom, this makes him a very important person Alice-kun. Gilbert-kun is an adopted son of the Nightray Dukedom, so he too is of a much higher standing than you or I." Break said, curious as to how the girl was oblivious to such information. There were four Dukedoms and each was an owner of vast wealth and prestigious investments. If Alice was a close friend who was captured, that idiot Oz was more than likely to do whatever was necessary to get her back.

"Then I gather you know you're knee deep in shit now." Break tensed minutely as a cold blade was placed against his neck.

"Damn. And there goes my idea of there being only one." Break answered with mock humour, inwardly annoyed at his slackness. Slowly turning he found Alice in a similar position to himself.

As the blade was slowly pushed against his throat, Break conceded, moving with his captor away from the man on the floor and Alice with her own captor. "Now no funny business, got it?"

Break smirked before elbowing his captor in the stomach. In the next instant, Break had thrown the knife that had been at his throat and the person who had been holding Alice had his blade hand pinned to a wall.

"Better than the first, but still slow." Break commented grabbing Alice's hand. "I suggest you come with me for now." Alice nodded and the two ran out of the alley, with Break in the lead directing them.

A gunshot echoed behind them, the window where the two had been milliseconds ago smashing to pieces. Break cursed as he dragged Alice around a corner, sliding past her to take a quick look at how many attackers they had. There were five including the three from earlier, although two had a handgun each.

"Damnit. Alice-kun, I'm sorry but I'm going to have to carry you if we're to get away." Break looked back at the girl, whose eyes were wide as a rabbit in the face of headlights. Slowly she nodded.

"Hold on tight okay?" Feeling the girl on his back nod Break made his way up the fire escape, thankful the block of apartments they'd stopped next to were old enough to have them.

Though the stupid things were metal, and so gave away their position, at least Break would have the advantage if he could get high enough. Hearing thuds of people ascending after them, Alice clung tighter to Break, her legs wrapped around his waist and arms holding onto him in a way that wouldn't strangle him.

"Relax Alice-kun." Break said as he stopped, hands reaching behind to adjust Alice so he could remove something from his pocket.

"Well then don't stop when we're being chased!" Alice yelled back, muffling a scream as bullets imbedded themselves in the concrete of the wall next to her.

"Just give me a moment Alice-kun." Break said fumbling slightly as he attached a bug-like object to the railings attachments, hoping three would be enough; Break went back to the hurried ascent.

"What were you messing around with anyway Clown?" Alice asked.

"Charges." Break answered, before elaborating. "Small explosives, which should detonate anytime now."

Alice didn't even have time to widen her eyes before the sound of men yelling, metal breaking and concrete crumbling echoed around them, smoke and fire adding to the destruction below.

Alice stared down below in horror as Break climbed the last of the metal before standing on the roof and running towards the other end, hands moving to support Alice's weight as the two jumped, landing on the next building. Alice quickly climbed off Break's back.

"You're a maniac." Alice said, lost for words about what just happened to her.

"True, but you're alive, that has to mean something right?" Break said sighing as two men made it onto the roof. "They were quicker than I anticipated." Break turned to the young girl, "So, best be quick. Me or them?" He said, gesturing behind him with a smile.

Mind already made up, Alice quickly answered, "You of course, Clown!" Break nodded, scooping Alice into his arms bridal style as he ran jumping onto the next roof, quickly planning his route as he threw another charge behind him, the explosion was immediate, giving Break enough time to change his course and be too far away to be seen as police sirens sounded back near the apartment block.


R&R~