This is a re-write of the first chapter. Why? See, when I first got on FF I wrote the outline, lost it, and tried to write the story anyway. Now that I found the outline, I realized that I messed something up. Kristina, Ricky, and Faith aren't on the run. Well, they are but they have this base thing hidden away with four other thieves. So in order to add them in I have to mix up the story a bit. Plus, I really like this beginning to the story. So, here it is.
Disclaimer: I only own Kristina and her band of thieves.
Kristina's black boots pounded on the hard packed dirt roads that ran through the poorest, most run down area of the otherwise flourishing city of Meltokio. She ignored the Papal Knights screams of anger and frustration from not being able to catch a, 'Low life, bratty, blood lusting, stealing little child.' Or, at least that's what they were shouting at her. But she found being called a child the most offensive, seeing as she was 17. Getting bored of running, she turned to the knights.
"You know, you might be able to catch me if you didn't have all that useless junk on you," Kristina taunted them.
"You'll eat those words runt," one of the knights shouted at her.
Kristina threw her head back and laughed. The Papal Knights screamed in rage. No one in the right mind ever taunted them. But Kristina (and her fellow band of thieves) aren't exactly right in the head. After that outburst, Kristina turned and took a shortcut through a narrow alleyway. It led right to Ms. Aphear's small home. Kristina stopped there to catch her breath.
"A little early to be running into trouble, isn't it Kristina?"
Ms. Aphear was hanging the few clothes that she and her son had on the line to dry. Her house, like all the others, was a dump. Her face was hollow from the lack of food, but very kind. Kristina fished through her bag and pulled out two shiny red apples.
"Here." She tossed them to the kind lady. "Enjoy."
Ms. Aphear looked at her with praise. "Oh, Martel bless you, Kristina."
She simply waved it off and started to walk away, until a pair of meaty arms grabbed her in a chokehold. She gasped in surprise and looked up to the man holding her. The young girl groaned. "You again?" The man grinned.
The woman glared. "You let go of that girl this instant, Raphael!"
Raphael tightened his grip. "No way. Turning her in will finally give me my payback." Kristina rolled her eyes. A few years ago she and her group teamed up with him to take down a major Tethe'alla corporation. But instead she had left him alone with the security to take all the blame. That scene is were the group got their name in the Tethe'alla side of the new world. They had taken what they needed, and that's all. But he kept a grudge ever since. He didn't move a step though, when a dark blur blew by on a clothes line and kicked him down to the ground, releasing Kristina. A petite, dirty blond young girl skipped over and stood on top of him. The girl looked down at him and giggled, her grass green eyes sparkling.
"Good job Ricky," she praised the boy. He grinned and swept his messy black hair out of his eyes.
He turned to Kristina. "You okay?"
She nodded her head. "C'mon, let's get out of here quick!" She ran off when the voices of the Papal Knights sounded in her ultra sensitive ears. Her two best friends followed close behind. They ran through the alleyways to take a short cut through the sewer. Kristina lifted the heavy cover with ease and gestured Ricky down. When the blond started to climb down the slick ladder she groaned.
"I hate the sewer." Her voice echoed through the passageways.
"You can make it, Faith," Kristina coaxed. Then, when Faith was all the way down, she took a scan of the area and hopped down into the sewer, and even with the chains on her boots, she landed without a sound.
I wish you didn't have to run away so much, Kristina. I wish you could've had a better childhood. But don't worry. It'll get better soon. I promise.
Outside the city walls, the three thieves stared at wanted posters posted on a group of trees not to far away. It was of the whole group, Kristina, Ricky, Faith, Sammy, the 'twins' Seth and Rath, and Kyle. They were interested in the descriptions of the use in the group. Kristina, they're ruthless leader, Ricky, the spell bound half-elf, Faith, the healer, Rath, the blood thirsty animal, Sammy, the most innocent girl you've ever seen, but can break a neck with her bare hands, Seth, the big, scary swordsman, and Kyle, the ax welder that is the only one ever known to beat Kristina. Anger and frustration drove through all three of them at the words that made them sound heartless and brutal. And Sarah has only snapped a neck twice (the second time was an accident). The auburn haired leader snuck a glance at Ricky as he stared at his description, and she noticed he was grinding his teeth again. He hates being a half-elf, that's why he ran away from the Asgard ranch with Faith, and why he doesn't use his sword in battle, only casts spells. She knew he was going to explode any second now, so she changed the subject.
"Am I really that ugly?" They never have gotten a good, clear image of Kristina's face. The others didn't have good pictures either, most of them taken at bad times (for example Rath had blood splattered across his face). But they just drew Kristina's face. Very badly.
Ricky looked at the drawing and grinned. "At least now they won't find you as easy." She shook her head and smiled.
"Let's just hurry up and get out of here." She took off running once again and the other two followed faithfully.
Later that night, Ricky and Faith were sleeping soundly, with Kristina keeping watch like she always does. They had chosen a deserted spot in an endless field. The light summer drizzle and cooling wind made it hard to keep the fire going. She messed with the pure gold four circle pendent that hung from her neck, the only thing she had from her life before the Asgard ranch. The bright flames reflected in her maroon eyes. She was constantly checking around them for anyone. She knew that she and Ricky would blend in fine, what with her black pants and sleeveless top that covered the front of her neck, the only thing that stood out was her white sweater. Ricky had an assembly of brown ankle boots, a brown long sleeve shirt with a white tank top over it, and brown jeans.
Yes, Kristina thought, we'll blend in fine.
But she was worried about Faith. She'd always been the weakest one, and with her white boots, jeans, shirt with sleeves that go to her elbow, a black long sleeve shirt under it, and black fingerless gloves, she sticks out in the dark like a sore thumb. She sighed and continued playing with her necklace. A few minutes later, the pounding sound of Papal Knights' boots rang through the night air. When they had stopped for the night they thought they were far enough from civilization not to be caught. Apparently they were wrong.
"Ricky, Faith, wake up! Quickly!" She said to them both nudging them in the ribs.
"What is it Kristina?" Ricky muttered sleepily.
"It's the Papal Knights. They're coming this way, we have to hurry!" Kristina whispered anxiously. Ricky and Faith cast each other surprised looks, and hastily put their few belongings in their bags while Kristina put out the fire and scattered around the fire wood, trying to hid the fact that anyone had ever been there. Then as the sound grew closer they soundlessly but hurriedly dashed away from the campsite. But it was too late.
"Halt!" Came a deep booming voice. The children slowly turned around, only to see at least twenty Papal Knights, maybe more.
"You three have committed crimes of murder and thievery. By order of the royal family you must be executed." The leader of the group yelled.
"If you think you can take us then your bitin' off more than you can chew." Kristina told the knights while drawing her swords.
"Yea, plus we only kill in self-defense." Faith informed while taking out her sword as well.
"What's with trying to murder children anyways?" Ricky asked.
"Yes, what would your mother say?" Kristina questioned in a humorous voice.
"Enough of this talk! You will die here and now!" One of the knights shouted running towards them.
As if on cue Ricky began casting while the other two charged into battle. Kristina kicked ones helmet off and stabbed him in the temple earning a stab in the shoulder from another. Faith knocked an axe out of one's hand and stabbed him in the throat. Ricky then cast Eruption, causing some of the knight's armor and weapons to melt. The girls took advantage of this and attacked the defenseless knights. Kristina frowned at the amount of blood on her swords but kept fighting. Faith got the breath knocked out of her by one knights and was slammed into Ricky when he was almost done casting. Kristina swore under her breath.
"Tempest!" She yelled and knocked off the helmets of some of the knights.
"Demon fang!" Faith yelled and startled the knight who had snuck up behind Kristina. To return the favor she stood in front of the blond as any Knights tried to take advantage of her when she was casting a healing spell.
"Healing Circle!" Faith yelled and blue beams of light healed the three of them.
"Spin Blade!" Kristina spun in circles to ward of the approaching knights from the two casters.
"Master of flames give me power to burn these evil souls…" The two girls glanced over their shoulders and saw Ricky casting. Knowing what he was casting they tried two round up the soldiers the best they could. When they finished Faith ran over behind him with her incredible speed and Kristina did a fancy back handspring, landing like a cat on one side of Ricky.
"Explode!" He yelled and raised up his arms. The knights never saw it coming and were burned to ashes. When the children saw the coast was clear they dashed off into the night without looking back at the gruesome and eerie scene.
So there's the re-write of the first chapter. I really like this one better because I think it flows smoother. And I think it shows a lighter side of Kristina and has a better background info on Ricky and Faith. And I bet you noticed the TOS quote I used in here.
p.z. The italics is gonna show up almost every chapter, and it's the narrator.