LUKE POV:

I watched through slitted eyes as the blue haired monkey dragged me to a sheltered, large, cave-like, rock-like rounded tent thing made of sticks, bark, and wood. The entrance was covered with a thick black fur coat of a huge animal. (BTW: Im Against Furs - but they are in the wild). The girl in the middle - she was their leader. It was obvious. That's why she approached me and questioned me. I thought of her silently in my mind as I pretended to still be out. Blackstar, the one I'd been fighting, woke me up when he dropped me abruptly on the ground to address his leader. He was currently exaggerating our fight to the pretty black-haired girl dressing his wounds. Tsk.

I must have fallen back asleep because I woke up to the sounds of movement and hushed voices outside the - for lack of a name - tent. Pushing myself up onto my elbows, I yawned and looked around. It'd darkened considerably. There was still a little light making it's way inside so I guessed it to be around late afternoon. Damn. I slept that long? Suddenly the fur curtain was swept aside and the leader entered, the albino from earlier following. Blackstar was nowhere to be seen. Good. I didn't particularly like him.

"Do you feel any better?"

My eyes made it back to the leader's, she had beautiful emerald orbs. "I would have been good without your help."

Her eyes narrowed, as if she'd like to slap me one across the face, but when her albino bodyguard growled and moved as if to pounce, her arm shot out - lightning fast - and halted him in his tracks, "Don't. He's not worth it."

I took that comment like a blow to the gut, but fought not to see how her words had wounded me. I heard those words before. A lot. My cover back on, I snorted, "Not worth it? The only thing not worth it is that half-top you have on." I tilted my head in mock-innocence, "I can't see what your trying to show off."

I hit a sore spot. I'd noticed her lack in pride of her body earlier and used it to my advantage. Truth is, she wasn't hard on the eyes. A little lacking in the chest area, but she had nice legs, a good shape, and a pretty complexion. Her half-top was made of perhaps a black bear skin and her short-shorts too. Her shoes might have been a dark, almost black deer as the fur was short and looked soft. She wore her hair in two long braids slung over her chest, a leather wrist band and cord draped on her hand and neck.

The albino's growl deepened as he glared at me. He didn't like me. I glared back, daring him to hit me, "You little-"

"Soul, don't."

Emerald Eyes' words were like a spell on the white-haired teen because he backed off and shoved his hands in his black jaguar-colored pants, shoulders once more hunched. I noticed with interest that his bare chest had a stitched up scar running diagonally from his shoulder to his waist. Huh. My eyes trailed back to the leader's. Did he get it protecting her? She was watching me curiously now, no trace of anger present. Where did it go? I could have sworn she wanted to rip my head off.

"Why are you on my territory?"

I sighed, "This question again?" Did she ever give up?

Her eyes remained on me, silently waiting. I realized she would wait until she got her answer.

"You brought me here. Remember, I was hurt by the blue-haired monkey assassin?"

If she wasn't basically holding my life in her small leadership hands, I'd have sworn her eyes laughed at me. As it was, she crossed her arms, "Can you please just talk straight and work with me here? I'm not trying to be your enemy, kid."

Kid. To hear her say that, when I was so obviously taller and bigger than her, made me want to laugh. To trust her. But I knew better. I didn't trust anyone. I hadn't since my parents had first started... that. But as it was, I was drawn to her. I didn't know what it was or what to call it, but I knew for sure that I didn't want to be her enemy. But I also wasn't going to surrender without some sort of equal footing, "Fine. Call off your lap dog and send him to play fetch or something. I don't want him around me." (IM So Sorry Soul!)

For second, her eyes flashed, but then as quickly as it came, the anger left and she turned to a steaming albino, "Go on. Tell Kid to hunt and Tsubaki to prepare dinner."

I watched with interest as he stiffened up and looked at her, "But-"

She put her hand on his chest and gave him a little push in the direction of the enter/exit, "I can take care of myself, Soul."

The boy hesitated a moment longer before blinking at her, shooting me a glare of warning TRANSLATION: You hurt her, I kill you, and disappearing outside. She turned back around when he was gone and made her way to the far corner of the tent wall. Towards my bed.

"The name's Maka," she said, holding out her hand. It took me a moment to realize that it was her talking. Her voice had changed! It'd gone from harsh, calculating, cool to partly friendly, nice, almost kind. It must have been some kind of act. Who changes up so quickly? And without warning? There was something not right about her. But which personality was hers, I didn't know... yet.

Watching her closely, I took her hand and shook it, "Luke." I noted her huge scythe behind her back and vaguely wondered if she could even hold it. It was bigger than her!

"So, how did you end up on our island? We're off the charts." She propped her hip up on my bed and I found myself wondering if her legs were as soft as her hand.

"I jumped off a trade ship in the storm. She was sinking and I wasn't going down with her. Then I just swam in the direction of the waves." I shrugged, sitting up more so that I could more clearly see her. I leaned my back against the bark wall. My shirt was gone but my jeans remained, relatively in one piece if you don't count the rips and tears.

She eyes trailed my body and I suddenly found myself thanking my boxing trainer, Sid, for pushing my body up into the six-pack range.

"Come on! Lets go!" Sid yelled as I bench pressed 100, "Just 69 more! Doing great, Evans! Hurry up! Hurry up!"

"But, Sid..." 11 year old me whined as I struggled. I'd been at the gym all day, "By the... time I fight... I'll be all out... of breath," I was panting.

Sid growled, his white bandanna and black braids coming closer, "I'm the trainer, Evans! Let's move it!" His brown face withdrew from mine as he crossed his tattooed arms over his chest, "Or do you want to give up?"

I never gave up! Grunting in response, I finished within a hour and he put me into sit-ups.

"Just 100 more, Evans! You're doing good!" I rolled my eyes, he always said that. His phone went off and he answered with a snappy 'what?' He didn't like being interrupted. The voice on the other line got to him because suddenly his whole demeanor had gone from strict and annoyed to sappy and apologetic, "N-no! of course I didn't forget, sweetie! I'd never forget our anniversary! That's not the kind of man I was!" He always said that too. It must have been his wife, Nygus.

Next thing I know, he was bolting out of the gym muttering something about a present.

"You like what you see, small fry?" I teased her, grinning my signature cocky grin. It was as close as I ever got to smiling. I don't smile.

Her eyes snapped back to mine and she shrugged, pulling her other leg up on the bed. I automatically scooted my legs over to make room. If she was as surprised as I was at the gesture, she didn't show it. "So, what do you plan on doing now? How will you get back?"

My face dropped just like that and the weirdest thought that she was working with the authorities in Death City popped into my mind. I forced it out. How would she manage that, secluded as her and her group was. They were obviously in trouble with Death City as well. "I can't go back."

She must have read something in my face or tone because she didn't question me, "We can't either. You should join our group. We were the number one notorious infamous gang in Death City. You probably heard of us. The Kishin Gang?"

I snorted, smirking, "Who hasn't?"

She smiled, genuinely this time, and I found myself wishing I could make her smile more often. It did something to her hard face. It brightened her face, made her eyes sparkle, and showed off her very beautiful smile. Beautiful? I snorted, since when did i use that word to describe anything? "So? Will you join?"

"What if I say no?" I asked her, not really considering it but just wondering.

Her face hardened again, "Then we'll be forced to get rid of you. We're the only long inhabitants of this island."

A shiver went down my back at the serious, almost evil glint in her green eyes. 'Get rid of' me? I didn't need clarity, just an explanation. But judging by the calculating look in her eyes, she was already thinking of ways to 'get rid of' me. And with me being still slightly hurt, even my advantage of size wouldn't matter. And the cold, hardness that was back in her gaze spoke of her experience with 'getting rid of' people. As I allowed her to escort me out of the tent to meet everyone, I wondered if her personality complex was a result of her job.

CHETAHLUV! Hey everyone! Hope you liked! I made it nice and long for you!