Sooo last chapter was really depressing… So this one should be happier? Maybe. Mush Lenalee but I'm not sure they will be shipped… PLanning for other character moments in the future (next up is Lavi I think). Enjoy and review!

Chapter 9: Lightning

"Mmm" Lenalee struggled against Lavi's firm grip over her mouth, and Alma's arms pinning her arms to her sides in a bear hug.

"Calm down- Gah! Your kicks hurt!"

"Lena, if you attack Link you could get expelled!"

"Ya, it's not worth it!" Alma had abandoned his sparring with Kanda when the one-sided match reached it's climax. When Lenalee could no longer see the new student, she had attempted to interfere. Lenalee was wicked fast, and Lavi barely managed to grab her, he wouldn't have managed to at all had he not predicted her movements. She quickly wriggled out of his grasp, but with Alma there she had a much more difficult time. She was fast, but the pair was strong, they dragged her to the side of the stadium, ducking through an arch between the stone steps and out of sight from the match. Where they were now struggling to keep her from doing something uncharacteristically rash.

"Ouch!"

"Let go now!" She demanded, finally speaking after biting down on Lavi's hand to loosen his grip.

"Lena, if you fight-"

"So what, did I not help you on your first day?"

"That was-"

"Then why shouldn't he get the same treatment?"

"We're older now, I'm sure-"

"It's not right!" Lenalee yelled, much louder than anticipated. Lavi flinched slightly and Alma winced as silence settled.

"It's not right" she repeated, softly this time.

"We've all suffered from what they did to us, but that doesn't mean the government should just lump us together, and expect us to train… Just because we got hurt, doesn't mean we have a bloodlust for revenge! We should not have to fight for them, we're just kids!" She pulled out of Alma's arms and away from Lavi.

"And so is he…" Lenalee did not run to the new student's rescue, she knew it was too late by now and would be considered humiliating. For a stranger to be rescued by a girl… Lenalee clenched her fist and quickened her pace. I hate this. Stupid school. Stupid society. Stupid rules. She stormed out from under the stone, entering the stadium. The sand was heavy, slowing her pace as it grabbed at her feet, sticking together due to the rain. As suspected, the stadium was empty, everyone else was returning to the gym. Everyone but him. The boy she had just met, sat alone amidst the rain. Her fist clenched tighter at the thought of what Link had done. But it wasn't his fault, not really. The administration had trained him, sent him. They were the ones who wanted all the kids affected to be in one place, so they might be trained to claim revenge. But that's not what we want… Not at all. The boy was a mess. His thin hoodie was drenched and torn. He sat with his head bowed and legs tangled beneath him as though he could not find the strength to stand. She halted before him.

"Hey, I'm sorry, I should have interfered before. Here" she stretched out her hand, a soft smile attempting to wash away both their sorrows. He did not bluntly refuse her offer, but neither did he accept it. She shifted slightly. Perhaps it is not that he cannot stand, but does not have the will.

"Hey…" Lenalee knelt down, knees sinking into the cold mud so that she might be able to better understand. His white hair hung in his face, partially obscuring the cuts, the bruises, the swollen skin. The soggy locks did not shield from view his eyes, once shining silver with light, though dim, now lacked even a spark. Eyelids dropped half closed, gaze unfocused, uncertain; he had given up.

"Hey" she grabbed his shoulder, shaking him slightly, desperately to grasp his attention. She had seen that look before, more often than she cared to admit. But never had she seen that look on the eyes of a breathing body. His eyes shifted slightly, he blinked, then tilted his head upwards. She released her grip from his left shoulder, and rose. She stretched a gentle smile across her lips and reached out a hand. Silently she stood, waiting. Please. Please…

There is nothing left in this world. If this is all life is, pain and cold and suffering, then I want to leave it. If friends and family and food are all things used to taunt and mock, then I don't want them. If light is only ever going to be used to taunt me, then I would rather stay in the darkness, away from something I can see but never have. I want to die. There's nothing left. There wasn't anything there to begin with. I want to die. I really want to die… Please. Please…

"Hey" a voice, a light through the dark. But why? Why can't they just leave?

"Hey" the voice was high, but sweetly so. It was not a desperate voice, merely pleading. Light flooded the void, then color. Violet orbs, a smile, something so simple, but for him… Allen squinted slightly adjusting to the color. She was reaching a hand towards him. Why? To strike? What else was there to take? She remained, standing, smiling, sharing the light. The sun remained hidden behind the clouds, veiling the earth in darkness. But that smile was all Allen truly needed.

He reached out to grasp her hand, but was met only with pain. Sharp pain radiating from his shoulder, he winced and his arm fell down to his side. His head dipped forward, teeth clenched behind a curtain of snowy locks.

"Don't taunt me like that."

"I'm not." Allen looked up to glare at her for offering false hope, something that could never be his, to call her a liar. But he stopped, eyes widening.

"I'm not" she repeated, right arm returning to her side while she extended her left. For a moment, light once again sparked in his silver eyes, a tiny flame of hope. But it was just as quickly extinguished.

"You don't want that" he growled, lifting his own left arm but drawing it towards himself.

"Why not?"

"I'm a monster."

"So am I."

"You're lying." Her glare matched his. They slightly stared until Allen reached up and pulled his glove off with his teeth. What lay underneath the fabric was truly disturbing. The skin appeared horribly burned, with uneven welts and divots. The skin was nearly crimson from the copious layers of scar tissue. The center of his hand was swollen and wrinkled, as his skin had tried to accept the metal cross embedded into it. The sharp, uneven, black 'x' bulged slightly. His fingers had the same scarred skin, with the addition that the tips, the fingernails, were but a bruise, inky black. The entire deformity screamed humanity, if he had been born with any sort of condition, his time among his own kind had done nothing but the opposite to help it. Her eyes scanned the hand, eyes widening slightly, but her face did not contort in horror. Instead, a look of determination set in. she yanked down the socks covering her knees. Her legs were rather exposed, but not completely. The reason now exposed. The skin beneath her knees was riddled with scars. Deep gashes made the smooth skin uneven. Two thick, dark rings circled her ankles not acting as a scar or tattoo, but a permanent bruise. Now it was the boy's turn to exam the scars and allow his eyes to widen. His gaze softened, then settled into a look, matching hers. She extended her left hand once again. Mud had soiled his glove, nevertheless he would not burden her with touching his cursed hand, even if they were the same, it was too soon. He quickly wriggled the glove back on before graciously accepting her hand. She helped pull him to his feet before quickly fixing her socks. She smiled, then began the long walk back to the school. The silence was not heavy, not awkward at all. It revealed far more information to the pair about the other than any conversation ever could have.