(A/N: Warnings in this chapter are weapons and blood.)

Chapter 1. Come Out Fighting.

Alfred huffed, stuffing his hands in his pockets. He'd barely gotten any sleep, but he had some. And no dreams, so that was a plus. He couldn't even count how many times he'd had more than enough sleep but the nightmare that plagued him made it feel like he hadn't even batted an eye. He walked down the street, watching as the sun barely peeked over the houses in the neighborhood. It was a suburb, happy kids with overbearing parents that really just cared too much. He walked with them in the same direction, towards their little school. Alfred sometimes wished he went to school, but only sometimes. Just being some regular kid…maybe he'd find a subject he enjoyed, decide some kind of job he wanted to do when he got older.

He couldn't help but smile as the kids walked past him, talking about some test or some guy that they found hot. Alfred ducked his head down, kept his eyes out of view. He could just blend in if he didn't make a scene. His goal was to make it to their library. He'd heard that it was a pretty good library with some information on demons. He'd be willing to go anywhere, he really was desperate at this point to get information. Anything.

In a matter of minutes, he made it through the doors, made it into the school. It was the beginning of the day, so everyone was coming in at once. He could just blend in. If anything, he just looked like any other teenager that hadn't gotten enough sleep last night. Alfred walked with purpose through the hallways, trying to find his way to the library. On his way, he passed by a few kids that he could tell were hiding the fact that they were half-demons. Well, quarter-demons. You'd never see an actual half-demon that happy. They stuck together, they had a small power surging through them. And there was one quarter-demon that walked with their red eyes proud. She was alone.

Alfred finally found it; surrounded by windows, walls covered in computers, and shelves taking up the middle. Perfect. He could just find a book and…what, steal it?

Alfred scoffed as he walked inside. No, he shouldn't steal, that was…wrong. He'd figure something out. Even if it meant hiding in the library so the librarians wouldn't see him when class started. He started looking through the books, tracing over the spines to try to find the right section, the right names, the right titles. He hummed a little to himself as he went through. He could easily ignore the other kids, especially the ones that hissed whispers at each other when they saw him.

Finally, he reached the section about demons and half-demons. They were beat up, not well treated, but they were there. Books Alfred didn't recognize for once. He let out a small, giddy laugh before pulling out a few, looking over their front covers. He picked out two that seemed to be about demons that weren't blobs or animals. Powerful demons.

He smiled as he plopped down at a table, ignoring the fact that the kids around him had finally all noticed him. They moved around him in the usual circle. He opened up the books, glancing through the tables of contents to decide which one to read first. He tapped his fingers against the table as he looked. It was actually mostly about animal-types. Strong animals, sure, but not a lot about human-types.

There was just a little bit, though.

The kinds of wishes they were born from. This was obviously a Christian influenced author, talking about the Seven Deadly Sins. Alfred hummed, tapping his fingers. Part of him really wondered what kind of wish he was born from…his father. He'd never met him, so it was anyone's guess, really. Alfred sighed. He also wondered what possibly possessed his mother to have a child with him. The books never talked about that.

They ran on and on talking about the children of humans and demons like it was no big deal. But some person decided to have a child with a creature willing to kill at the drop of a hat. It really interested him. He wondered what kind of person his mother was…what kind of demon his father is…

He flipped through the pages of the books with a sigh. There were only a few examples, three to be exact, of when a demon like that was killed. They'd taken down countless others with them, left their mark on the world.

The bell rang above him, but Alfred didn't move. A few other kids in the library didn't move either, so Alfred supposed he was fine. He continued reading, but he was cut off with the sound of the second bell, which was followed swiftly after by a scream. Alfred stood up immediately, looking at the source. Kids were screaming and running away from…something. Alfred felt his heart rate speed up, ready for a fight. If he had to fight to protect the people in this school, he was more than ready.

That was when he saw it. It took the form of a dog. A dark shadow with crimson eyes tore past them, its pace sloppy while it stumbled across the entire hallway. Alfred's heart dropped, however, when he saw nine more run after it.

The half-demons in the school weren't built to take it down, Alfred was their only chance… But he couldn't take on that many at once…

Ivan ran as fast as he could, stumbling over his own damn feet as he followed his instructors. This was a simple job. A demon sighting at a school with a few demons no higher level than a simple dog. This would be just fine. The job hadn't said just how many there were, but it was definitely a few. They only knew based on social media, too, and that lied way too often. Since it was so simple, there was no need for the half-demons this time. Thank God…

They calmed to a walk once they reached the school that the police had closed off, but had been too afraid to go inside. A lot of students had been evacuated, but Ivan knew that there were plenty afraid to come out of their hiding places to try to get out. Thankfully, it didn't seem like anyone had been killed yet. Ivan felt the familiar feeling of his gun holstered on his hip, it made him feel secure. Demons could take bullets fairly well, but riddle them with enough and they're dead, simple as that.

Ivan was…admittedly a little nervous as he walked past the police line, towards the front doors of the school. Demons were ruthless, loved to kill and harm, and didn't stop and wait when it was too much for him to handle. That he knew first hand…But he couldn't stop now, he had to be brave, strong. He could do this.

The instructors opened the doors in front of him and he filed in after them, making sure that the door was closed and secure. The police officers locked it, just in case. Just to make sure the demons didn't make it out. The hallways were dark and stiflingly quiet. It was obvious people left in a panic, some lockers hung open, papers were scattered, and scuff marks on the floor were obvious. The further they got in, the less they saw of a mess. It was still quiet. Where were the demons?

An instructor motioned for Ivan to go upstairs. Alone. He swallowed thickly and nodded, going up the stairs. He couldn't show that his hands and legs were shaking. No, he could handle this if he was going to be strong enough to take down all of the demons on his own. He pulled out his gun just in case. It was full, thankfully, and he had plenty of refills for a job like this. He walked past the library, which still had books left on the tables. One bookcase had even fallen over in someone's haste.

That was when he heard the low growling, just past the library. He crouched down and moved slowly and quietly, inching forward. He went into some classroom that looked like it was made for math. He immediately pressed against the wall closest to the door. There was one demon inside, taking the appearance of some kind of demented dog. It already looked like it had holes punched through it. It was alone, there was nothing near it. Ivan's shots were sure to make others notice, but it would also bring his instructors to make sure he was okay. This was his opportunity.

Ivan leaned over again to see the demon, sniffing around the empty classroom, like it was trying to find something. He calmed his breathing and his shaking hand, though his hand didn't stay as still as he wanted it to. He bit his lip and started firing.

Alfred inwardly cursed himself, a hand firmly over his mouth as he breathed quietly and shallowly. He couldn't make a sound. These things' hearing seemed pretty good, but luckily their smell was shit. He didn't make it long in the library alone before some of them found him, maybe five. He couldn't take them on without risking the building around him so he had ran. It was only a matter of minutes before he saw the Hunters and he knew he had to hide. So he'd found a math classroom, but he'd been too loud. A demon had followed him inside, trying to sniff him out. He was hiding behind a teacher's desk that blocked him from the view of the rest of the room.

He stayed still, refusing to be caught by either the demon or the Hunters. He knew what happened with half-demons and Hunters…that stupid contract and the stupid wish. It was basically like making a servant, the half-demon doing whatever the Hunter says…It made Alfred's skin crawl, the very idea. No. The Hunters could handle this. Now the only thing he could do would be to make it outside of the building, make believe that he was weak and nothing important. The Hunters could handle this…

Alfred nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard the first gunshot, but it was quickly followed by several more. They were closer than he thought. The demon beside him probably didn't stand much of a chance. Eventually, it was eerily quiet again. Alfred almost stopped breathing to make sure he wasn't found.

"How many did you find?" an adult asked after Alfred heard his loud footsteps run for them. He tried to focus his hearing. More demons would come any minute and he would just be hiding…

"Just the one." Alfred's interest piqued. That was just a kid, no older than him. What was a kid doing being a Hunter? Alfred fought the urge to look over and investigate. He had to be patient and stay still. He could make it out of this just fine.

"Let's move, more will come soon. There's a lot more than we thought."

That much Alfred knew. There was more than just 10. These demons seemed to like the idea of moving in packs, for some reason or another… Alfred let out a long breath as the two moved away, their footsteps echoing loudly. Alfred sighed slightly and came out from the desk. Okay, all he had to do would be find the exit. The door he came in would be fine. He just had to get out, not cause a scene, and he could continue with this life.

He carefully snuck out of the room and started walking by the library, keeping low and alert just in case. If he had to run, he would. He scanned the halls, taking in the creepy silence around him. Maybe the demons were all downstairs…That would be nice…He heard more gunshots behind him and he walked a little faster, careful to make sure his shoes didn't squeak on the tile beneath his feet. He made it to the stairs. He was close to the exit now and no one had seen him. This was good.

He padded down the stairs quietly, still hearing nothing but the gunshots above him. The demons would go towards that noise, surely. Finally, Alfred saw the door to his exit. Perfect! He walked a little faster. He heard footsteps behind him. He walked even faster, now making noise. He could hear a demon behind him, too. Shit.

Alfred all but ran to the door and desperately tried to open it, but it was locked. Alfred stared at it with wide eyes. He could break it, sure, but there was a Hunter behind him that would surely take him with them. And not to mention the demon right behind him. If he broke the door, the demon could get out and then where would they be?

Alfred heard the demon close behind him, closer than the Hunter. There was only one thing he could think of to save himself from being found out as a half-demon. He sealed away his powers, making himself pretty much human, even his eyes were normal now. He tried to turn and brace himself, but the demon all but slammed him into the door, crushing his right arm. Alfred all but screamed in pain. The demon met his eyes before biting down roughly on Alfred's arm. Pain coursed through him, far worse than anything he'd felt as a half-demon. He almost forgot what real pain felt like.

He cried out, he couldn't help it. Blood poured from the holes the demon made with its razor sharp teeth and Alfred felt his breath hitch. He had to masquerade as a human now, he couldn't heal like he used to. He could even think of words to say as he desperately tried to get the creature off of him, trying to slam his fist into the thing's head. Nothing worked. Finally the Hunter got to his senses, but he couldn't shoot. Alfred looked up at him, just now noticing the tears in his eyes. Damn, this hurt.

It was an adult, holding their gun warily, seemingly unable to shoot. The dog bit down harder and Alfred felt his legs fail him. His arm would be useless now, until he could get back to his half-demon form. But he had to hide in plain sight for now. Or else he'd be caught.

A kid ran towards them, his gun held even as he took in the situation. From what Alfred could tell, his hair was almost silver and his eyes a very dark purple, eyes that knew a lot of pain. His serious face was half hidden behind a scarf while the rest of him was completely covered. Dark blue jacket, completely zipped up, dark jeans, dark boots. Everything about him was dark except for his hair and his skin. Alfred wondered just what kind of horrors this kid had lived through.

The kid didn't hesitate to shoot. The bullet slammed through the demon, going right past Alfred's head and into the wall behind him. The demon let go with a small whimper and Alfred immediately stumbled away as the two shot the thing down until it was nothing more than dust. Alfred clutched his injured arm, holding it close to him as he stayed as far away from the Hunters a possible. Damn, that kid was some serious business…

"Hey, we aren't gonna hurt you," the adult said simply, carefully walking towards him. Alfred tensed, but the pain in his arm outweighed any of his other concerns. "Are you a student here?"

Alfred nodded quickly. If he didn't say anything, they probably couldn't tell that he was lying. Blood was leaking quickly onto the floor. Alfred was already starting to feel dizzy. If he didn't get proper attention soon, he might just have to show his true colors. He had to ask for help from these people.

"We should get him to the cafeteria," the adult turned to the kid, who nodded simply. He holstered his gun, since the adult obviously didn't intend to actually help Alfred up. And there was no way Alfred was standing on his own. Damn, his arm hurt. He looked down at it and it didn't even look like his arm anymore. It was just…messed up, crunched up.

"Come on," the kid held out a hand for Alfred, who studied it carefully, before using his good arm to hold onto it. The kid helped him to stand straight. "We'll get you medical attention there." Alfred swayed slightly and the kid sighed, shaking his head. He moved Alfred's arm around his shoulders to help steady him. Alfred held his injured arm as close to his body as he could as the kid lead him through the hallways. He almost blacked out a few times, too, but he knew he had to stay awake.

Ivan grunted as he tried to walk at a steady pace, but this damn, stupid kid could barely keep himself up. What kind of an idiot would run for the front door when a demon was following him? He was lucky there were Hunters there. He seemed innocent enough, but there were a few things…off about him. His hair was so disheveled and messy and greasy that it looked like he'd never put any care into it, his skin was almost sickly pale and his bright blue eyes had such heavy bags under them that it looked like he didn't sleep. Not to mention that his clothes were incredibly dirty and smelled disgusting.

Ivan had his suspicions, but that could wait until they were out of danger. There were a lot of demons in this school, but the question was…how did they really get there? They finally made it to the cafeteria, where two of the Hunters with them were setting up a blockade of sorts where they could hide behind while shooting down the demons. It would be the most efficient way of taking them down.

The Hunters noticed them immediately, rushing over to give the 'student' the best treatment they could. At the very least, they'd stop the bleeding and put his arm in a sling. The kid seemed like he was barely able to stay awake. Ivan just hoped that, for his sake, these demons weren't poisonous. Ivan made sure that his gun was fully loaded as he made his way behind the blockade, his instructors doing the same. There was just one left, who was drawing attention to the demons and drawing them close.

Ivan glanced back at the kid, who was bandaged and being told to lie on his back for the time being, his arm on his stomach. He looked like he was in really bad shape, hardly able to keep his eyes open, even if he wasn't injured. He just have piqued the interest of the instructors as well, but they had more important things to tend to.

He heard the growls first and looked over, seeing his instructor run towards them. Ivan almost dropped his gun. There were at least 20 black, dog-like monsters headed right towards them.

"Call for help," an instructor snapped at another one, the one with the phone. Ivan bit his lip. That meant it was too much for them to handle alone. They needed a half-demon. The instructor quickly made his way into their blockade as Ivan aimed his gun and started shooting with all of his instructors. A few of the dogs went down, but plenty more of them made it to their blockade and Ivan stumbled back, still keeping his gun up.

One dog leaped right over him and Ivan watched as it landed, almost on top of the student, who looked up at it lucidly. Ivan aimed his gun but so many other dogs brushed past him without a thought to surround the boy. Had that bite targeted him or something?

"Protect the boy!" an instructor shouted and started carefully shooting at the dogs around him. They were growling deeply, ready to attack, but not doing it yet…Why?

Hahaha! Cliffhanger ending on the first chapter, look at me go! Anyway, here we have the first real chapter. It's obvious Alfred and Ivan both have heavy things on their mind, but at the same time they're just kids. No new important characters this time around, but next time, there will be. So exciting.

I'm going to be writing and updating now as much as possible because in, like, a week, I'll be in college, I'll probably have a new job, and I may or may not be working with a publisher in the near future, so my life's gonna be pretty busy. But I'll finish this story, I promise. I may just turn into slow going soonish.

I'll see you all next time, my lovelies.