A/N: Fun, fun. XD How else can I get poor Fayt in trouble? Trying so hard to escape and be hidden, and Albel trying so hard to make Fayt have friends….I think I'm seeing something ironic here. XD
Disclaimer: These things are getting really boring….zzzzzz. You've heard them a billion times.
Fayt was feeling extremely bored. He wasn't sure what was going on, but it seemed that lovebirds were constantly using his tree. Fayt itched with impatience. He disliked having to keep getting up and coming back.
Fayt's mind drifted back to Albel. He didn't have a watch to tell him when it was two o'clock, but he could tell that it was beginning to drift into the afternoon. He desperately wanted something to do than avoid couples, so he finally decided with himself to go back and see Albel.
Fayt found Albel in the garage kicking a tool chest to one side and frowning. "Still not enough space."
"Albel?" Fayt asked hesitantly.
Albel turned around. "Oh, hey there. You're a little early, but that's no problem. You can help me decide where we should set up practice."
Fayt blinked. "Where do you usually practice?"
Albel shrugged. "We used to practice inside here, but now it's gotten so cluttered with stuff, there's not enough room to move without knocking things over. It'd be too much of a pain to move everything, so I think we need to go elsewhere this year."
"You could always go to the park," Fayt suggested meekly.
"Great idea. Lots of open space. Hey, Curtis, come out here!"
Curtis pushed through the door into the garage. "Yeah?" he asked cautiously.
"I want you to start gathering up the equipment. We're going to set up in the park."
Curtis bit back a groan and retreated back to the house to gather the stuff.
Albel grinned at Fayt. "Curtis is our helper boy for today. To punish him for his loud mouth, he's going to carry everything we need and do anything we need to set up or pack up. He'll be so exhausted after that, he won't have the strength to mouth off."
Fayt shrugged. "Whatever you say."
Albel frowned thoughtfully. "Now, why don't you write a note to everyone telling them we'll be at the park and stick it on the door so they can see it when they come by? I'll go with Curtis to the park and oversee all the set-up. See you later, Fayt."
Fayt sighed and sat down at a small desk in a corner of the garage and searched the drawers for paper. "Now, what do I write?" Fayt asked himself quietly. "What do I tell people I barely know? Dear friends? Dear gang?" Fayt bit his lip. "Do I even remember how to spell that? I wonder how long it's been since I've actually written anything."
The door opened and Cliff peered inside. "Hey, Fayt. Where's Albel?"
"He's at the park. He told me to write a note telling everyone we'll be practicing in the park."
Cliff frowned. "You're new here and he's already assigning you work. Here, I'll do it and you can go ahead and go to the park."
"But-" Fayt protested.
"Take it easy, kid. No problem." Cliff pulled a black marker out of the drawer and in big letter wrote, "We're at the park!"
Cliff grinned. "See? I'm already done. Now, you go on ahead and I'll just tape this to the door."
"Alright," Fayt said reluctantly.
In the park, Fayt met up with Albel who was standing by looking amused as Curtis struggled with unfolding a rusty metal chair. Albel nodded briefly at Fayt and eyed Curtis with glee.
Fayt settled into the grass by a small bark tree. Cliff and Vox had soon made it to the park and were cheerfully arguing about last year's competition. Fayt listened silently, enjoying hearing their friendship.
Albel squatted down in the grass beside Fayt. He had abandoned the trench coat for the moment and had hung it on a nearby tree branch. Albel stretched leisurely. "It's getting to be a hot day, isn't it?"
"Not too bad," Fayt said meekly. "I've seen worse."
Albel looked amused. "Well, then, if you're not melting in the sun, why don't I have you spar against Norton for a little practice?"
Norton scowled. "You insulting my ability by making me fight this weak little brat?"
Albel sighed. "May I remind you that you're not the "all powerful Norton" that you think you are? Vox beat you, Cliff beat you, I beat you, even Curtis beat you. There's nobody left for you to face except Fayt."
Norton again grumbled about the outrage and he gave Fayt an evil smirk. "Who do you think you are to go against me? I will crush you and wipe the floor with your carcass. Muahahaha!"
Cliff scowled. "Go easy on the killing, Norton. He's just a kid."
Albel also scowled at Norton. "Okay, let's go over the rules. No killing. No use of any weapons. And please try not to destroy the whole park. I'd like you both to stay inside this square of ribbon Curtis made. Right, the first person to knock the other down wins."
Norton gave Fayt a feral look as he dropped into a fighting stance. Fayt nervously stayed a safe distance away from him.
For a moment, nobody moved. Then Norton lunged at Fayt. Fayt yelped and dove to the side.
"The kid's quick," Cliff noted. "He's got lightning-fast reflexes."
"You are no match for me," Norton growled.
Norton continued circling around Fayt, aiming kicks and punches that Fayt easily dodged. Fayt was beginning to calm down, even enjoy the fight.
"Hold still, you brat!" Norton snarled as Fayt rolled out of the way of another punch.
Fayt crouched on the ground, eying Norton as he came close. Norton laughed madly. "This time, I'll crush you!"
"Don't think so," Fayt said calmly, kicking upward and making contact with Norton's kneecap. There was a splintering sound and Norton screeched as he collapsed to the ground.
Cliff winced. "Ooh, that's gonna leave a mark."
Fayt looked worried. "Did I hurt him badly?"
"Take it easy, kid. These things are always violent. He's been hurt worse. It's not common for someone to break a few bones, but he'll be healed pretty quickly, so don't worry about it."
A boy around Fayt's age with tousled brown hair raced over to the group wearing a soccer uniform. "Hey, guys. Sorry I'm late. Mom made me join a soccer team last night to punish me for being out all night with Mitch. She thinks I'm spending too much time making out and not enough time getting in exercise."
Albel scowled. "You'll get plenty of exercise. It's a practice day for the competition."
"Awesome," the boy said breathlessly. "Who do I get paired against?"
Albel jabbed a finger at Curtis. "Aren't you and Brendan around the same level?"
Curtis snorted in disdain. "Brendan's too predictable."
"Okay, Fayt will face Brendan, since he's so predictable," Albel said sarcastically. 'Then if he wins, you'll have to fight him."
"Good for you," Curtis said sulkily.
Albel settled down with a clipboard and began to fill out the skill level hierarchy as each match went on. It was nearly four when Albel decided to call it a day. "Okay, according to what we have so far…Norton is still last place, then Brendan, then Curtis. We still have to see about Fayt, Vox, and Cliff. But we'll do that tomorrow. It's not fair to Fayt to fight everybody all in one day. So tomorrow, he'll start with Cliff, then Vox."
"Not bad, not bad," Cliff said proudly, clapping Fayt on the shoulder. "You've come pretty far. I'll see ya tomorrow, kid. I'll be looking forward to it."
The gang slowly separated and Albel casually threw his trench coat over his shoulder. "You're doing pretty well, Fayt. I think I'll have you represent me in the competition"
"What? But I'm not even in your gang."
Albel shrugged. "Doesn't matter. You're the only one I'd trust to take my place and not blow our chances. I can't do it this year since dad wants to start training me to be a hunter."
Fayt was horrified. "Oh no."
"It's okay, Fayt. I won't be training forever. Just this week." Albel indicated a silvery cross patched onto the back of his trench coat and a second knife with a silver casing hooked onto his belt. "Once I'm trained, I can go into practice for a few hours a week and quit my old job."
Fayt felt his eyes filling with tears. "How could you? You're going to break your promise!"
Albel was confused. "What promise?"
"You said you wouldn't kill anyone," Fayt accused. "But then you're going to go and kill energy vampires."
"No I won't," Albel said softly. "I'll just keep them for observation. I don't want to kill anybody, and I've always wished I was a vampire myself."
Fayt scoffed. "You don't want that. Then your dad will kill you."
Albel looked puzzled. "No he won't."
Fayt rolled his eyes. "Of course, the hunter makes exceptions for his own son."
"It's nothing like that, Fayt. I didn't wish to be an energy vampire, just the normal kind."
"Oh," Fayt said, sounding disappointed.
Albel cocked his head to one side. "Any reason you feel so strongly about this subject?"
"My dad was killed by hunters," Fayt said quietly. "He wasn't even really a vampire hunter, but they shot first and didn't bother finding out anything."
Abel nodded solemnly. "Vampires are misunderstood creatures. I won't kill them if you don't want me to, Fayt. I'll just keep them from endangering the city. And I promise to be sure that it's true before I actually take them away."
Fayt nodded solemnly. "That's all I want."
"Now, since your dad is dead, you don't have any parents, do you?"
Fayt shook his head. "My dad is dead and my mother left us, fearing the association of a vampire."
"So you don't have anywhere to live either, do you?"
"No, I'm afraid to go back. They might try to kill me, just like they killed my father."
"Well, the logical choice to me seems to be for you to stay at my house. How does that sound?" He turned to Fayt, but the boy was already running towards the forest.
"Hey, Fayt!" Albel shouted. "Where are you going?"
"I'm sorry, I can't stay!" Fayt shouted back. "You'll understand some day."
Albel shrugged with a heavy sigh. "One day I'll understand that kid. He's a little too mysterious for my taste."
