Thank you to soursupergirl for the continuous reviews/ support! Not much to say other than HYPE for the new anime, -man Hallow! If you have not seen the new PV go to YouTube NOW, it is by TMS Entertainment, and then maybe come back and read this… *flashes thumbs up* Enjoy!

Chapter 7: Unexpected

As soon as the bell rung, everyone darted into a line along the gym wall. Straight backs and silence were all that remained of the bumbling students when the instructor emerged from a side door. Blond hair braided and a stern glare etched into his face. He walked up down the line of students, glancing them over before rounding on Allen, still slouching against the wall with his hood up and dirty street clothes on.

"You must be the new student" he eyed him then glared.

"How dreadful." I hate him already…

"I do hope you were not planning to skip class just because you're stuck in… That. I don't care if your clothes are ruined by the end of the day or how bad they smell, now get in line follow the rules." He spun on his heel and marched to the side door, guarding it while everyone filled outside. Allen grimaced, abandoning his bag to join the procession. On his way out the man hooked the back of his knee, bending it suddenly and causing Allen to fall.

"No hoods in school." Allen spun to glare through his snow white locks before brushing himself off and storming through the now dispersed line. Lenalee had just shooed away the red-head, so he went to join her.

"Where are we going?"

"Oh, hi. Sorry about Link, he's a good instructor just… Strict."

"Ya…"

"We're going to the training grounds, the outside one in the stadium. We always go there, even if it's miserable outside." Allen remained skeptical, but didn't question. Stadium, huh? I guess that could be a football field?

"Did something happen?" Allen jumped slightly and turned to face her again.

"Your hair…" She spoke softer now and looked away. This was different from the usual blunt remarks, there was something else tinting her voice.

"Ya when I was a kid…" He replied, in a rather soft tone as well and without saying anything beyond that.

"Things got gloomy, that's no way to flirt beansprout." Allen whirled, nearly head-butting Lavi.

"Yikes you're dangerous!" Lavi jumped back with a mocking grin.

"Beansprout?" Allen tried desperately to stop his eye from twitching out of rage.

"Haha, yup! That's what Yu called you" he spoke cheerfully despite the growing darkness. The path they currently trode was lined with shadows cast by the looming pines encasing them and the school. Allen hadn't realized before that the school was on the edge of town as they left both behind. Ten minutes later they arrived at the stadium. It was not a football field. Coliseum would be a better word than stadium. It was down a steep hill, set into the Earth as though it had crashed there like a meteor. Stone walls towered skywards, obscuring their view inside despite their considerable height above it. A few students worked their way down a steep set of stairs. Others took a different route.

"Come one Yu!" Alma's voice was heard further ahead, followed by a thump, then Kanda was gone. Alma was quick to jump of the ridge after him.

"Hey wait for me!" Lavi yelped as he too leaped.

"Wait are they doing?!" Allen raced to the edge, skidding to a halt. Instead of their bodies, bent in a ditch, he saw the three skidding down the hill, jumping occasionally to avoid rocks. Once they neared the bottom they leaped again and landed running, catching themselves with ease and barging into the 'stadium'.

"Shall we go then?" Lenalee smiled as she approached him.

"Wait you can't-" Her grin never faltered as she shoved him off the ledge. He was quick to catch his balance, but still managed to tumble. He struggled to grasp onto something, anything before he landed on a rock and was seriously injured.

"Calm down" the feminine voice chided as she grabbed his arm, righting him and yanking him down the slope behind her. She was confident in her movements, more so than the other three. Instead of jumping over rocks she casually slid around them, weaving between and picking up speed. Allen was thankful that her firm grip gave him something to steady himself on as skid across the slanted soil. When they neared the end she said, "don't follow me and nothing fancy!" She let go and propelled forward, leaping way too soon only to vanish. Allen would have questioned more if the ground hadn't snuck up on him. He jumped at the last minute and unable to balance himself again, tucked his shoulder and rolled. He still had a great deal of speed do he bounced out of the roll and ran into the stadium, slowing naturally. Lenalee blazed past him, skidding to a halt a second before crashing into Alma and Lavi, who had turned to wait for the others. The pair was showered head to toe in sand she hand kicked up because of the sudden stop. She smiled innocently as Lavi half jokingly hacked up sand cursing.

"No fair-" he spat, desperately slapping sand off himself. The three straightened up when Link arrived.

The entire class was a crazy workout. Running laps around the sand-floored stadium, stretching, running some more. Allen's clothes were all but ruined half way through. It didn't help that he refused to remove his hoodie, no matter how hot he became. This continued until everyone was out of breath, at which point, Link ordered everyone to sprint across the stadium. The stadium was three times as large as a football field and Allen was sure he would die. He did not of course but a few unlucky students passed out or threw up. Link left them alone, simply watching.

Is this even legal?! Those still standing exhaustedly halted in the middle, heaving for breath.

"Alright, five minute break, get partners, walk halfway across then start on some warm-up drills. Everyone nodded and broke apart. Kanda and Alma split off, heading for the far edge of the stadium. Lavi strolled up to Lenalee, still out of breath and flashed her a thumbs up. She sighed, less out of breath then him. She turned to leave before spinning back around. Glancing at Allen and his confused stare.

"D-

"Don't worry about him Miss Lee." The two turned to see Link approaching. I have a bad feeling about this.

"Walker is going to be my partner."