Chapter 1:

Eleanor was trying to be better, really, she was. Maybe it was the attitude of the guy in front of her or maybe it was all the different emotions swirling around in her body lately, but whatever it was, it made it seem very sensible to start a fight that afternoon. It had been two days ago that a stranger saved her life and now she was screwing it up again. She had wanted some extra cash you see, and she went to the slums again for some more bot fighting and some serious betting. Highly illegal, she remembered, she had been busted for it several times. This time she wasn't even fighting, she was only betting when a kid who looked about twelve years old walked in asking if he could 'play' and that he had his own bot and money to play. SHe could tell something was up with the kid and as soon as he won, the lean dude he had challenged didn't want to give the kid his money, so ultimately she stepped in. This kid deserved his money, he was good, excellent really.

"Oi! Martinez!" She spoke up, She was a regular in this particular area and made it her business to know the names of the top fighters.

"That kid earned that money fair and square; you're just mad a ten year old beat you!" There were nicer ways she could have said that but eh, she was Eleanor, Leo in slums, and her attitude problems and big mouth always came back to bite her in the butt.

Then, Martinez spoke up, obviously furious at her.

"You wanna take this outside lady? I'd wipe that smirk off your face." Her smile grew and her hands clenched and unclenched, ready for a fight.

"Actually, yeah. Let's take this outside so I can knock some of your teeth out." She still sounded like she was joking, but she was serious. Then, it clicked. This kid was only like ten years old! In the slums, with all these creepy people with probably no way home. Ugh, she might have to actually help. Martinez got up and started walking towards her. Quickly she got up and grabbed the kid by his wrist.

"Hey lady let go of me!" he protested.

"I'm getting you out of here just chill out kid." and with that she picked up the pace as she heard Martinez's feet behind her definitely trying to finish their fight.

"Hey kid-"

"My name's Hiro!" his face turned into a pout as he said so. He hated being called kid, he was more intelligent than most adults anyway.

"Yeah okay, Hiro. You got a ride waiting for you anywhere? God, did you even think this through Hiro?" she was exasperated but wasn't going to let this kid go on his own. This was about the time they, unfortunately, reached a dead end.

"Shit." the words obviously came from Eleanor's mouth as she tried to think of a way out. She really was going to fight the guy. He was a whole lot taller than her, her being only 5'4 and a scrawny thing at that. Great. Just great. Why did she have to be so stupid? She looked over at the kid as she heard Martinez's footsteps approach.

"Hiro, take this. If he gets close to you, shove through his stomach." with that, she handed the child her only weapon, her favorite pocket knife. Hiro's eyes grew wide, she was going to fight this guy? And she expected him to stab the dude if he got to close? Where was tadashi when you need him? Then, Martinez turned the corner making a beeline for the lady. He didnt even know her name and she was about to get pummeled right in front of him. Hiro was scared. His bot fighting had never led to this before.

"Come on you big oaf! Too chicken to hit a girl?" she sure was a cheeky thing, Hiro noted. Then the dude sent his fist into her stomach. Ouch. She coughed but still managed to comment.

"Wouldn't be the first time I was wrong." And then she laughed. Hiro thought this girl had to be crazy. She sent her fist for the guys face, managing to get his nose pretty well. He tried to get her back but she ducked this time, anticipating his move. This wasn't the girl's first fight, that Hiro could tell. She sent her legs under the guy as she faked a right swing which did manage to make him stumble but he was just too big. Before she had time to react he sent his fat fist at her face. Hiro could hear the crack, definitely her nose, from all the way in the corner he was hiding in. The girl groaned and he did the only thing he could do to help.

"Tadashi!"Tadashi! Help!" he called his older brother who he prayed would somewhere close looking for him. Luckily, he was. His brother, like a knight in shining armor turned a corner down the alley his brother was in on his girl's face was bleeding pretty bad as Hiro stepped out of the alley corner and ran to his brother's bike. The girl backed up and tried not to cry. Her face hurt. Like a bitch. Martinez was in pursuit though and just as he grew closer, Eleanor was thrown onto a moving vehicle behind the kid, Hiro she recalled as an older boy drove them away.

"What were you thinking Hiro?! You could have been hurt or worse, killed! What did I tell you about this bot fighting. You're unbelievable!" Tadashi scoffed at his brother. Hiro was slightly ashamed, it wasn't too often his brother yelled at him and he couldn't say he liked it.

"And you!" This was obviously directed to the girl with the smashed face behind him.

"That guy was three times your size! You're lucky I came and saved your butts!" Tadashi was definitely frustrated, if not angry.

"My name is Eleanor." and with that they silently rode the their aunt's cafe and made their way inside.

As they walked in the door they were greeted by their Aunt Cass.

"Oh My Goodness!" she exclaimed as she saw the bleeding girl. As she ushered her to the sink she turned to question the boys.

"Who is this poor girl and what have you two been involved in? Why didn't I get that stupid parenting book when you guys were little? Ugh." she sighed as Tadashi spoke up.

"I found them in the bot fighting zones like this Aunt Cass, Hiro would you like to explain?" Tadashi gave a stern look to his younger brother as he lightly shoved him forward.

"Well, I may have been in the area where most bot fights sometimes tend to happen and I may or may not have met this chick and might have gotten in a small scuffle but it wasn't that bad honest!" The eleven year old had just started bot fighting a few weeks ago out of boredom and a need for extra cash for gummi bears. His teeth still had an adorable gap and he had big brown eyes which he was now using to give his aunt cass the puppy dog look.

While all this was going on, near the sink was Eleanor Parker Cleaning the drying blood from her nose in this loud lady's sink while they argue about who did what. She could tell her nose was broken and decided to snap it back into place herself. She had done it a few times before and didn't want to pay a doctor to do something she could do all by herself. No point in wasting money. The sickening sound of her bones being snapped back into place silenced the odd family.

Okay, that had really hurt. She grit her teeth as the pain passed.

"Sorry, I kind of got blood in your sink , but I should be going." She sent her freshly washed hand to Hiro's head to ruffle his jet black hair.

"Stay out of those bot fights kid, do something better with your life. It's not worth it, trust me." Hiro stared at her intrigued at first as she tried to make her way out the front door.

"Oh no young lady you better bring yourself back into this kitchen right this instant." That had been the woman, Aunt Cass they had called her. She sounded like that cop who always knarcked on her. She wondered if this was what it was like to get in trouble with your parents. Both the boys, the young adorable one and the, as she was just now noticing, quite handsome one, raised their eyebrows at this action. She guessed their aunt never spoke like this.

"Yes ma'am?" she gulped, slightly afraid of the woman.

"How old are you? What's your name? I need to call your parents. Are you sure you don't need to go to a hospital? What happened?" This woman sounded kind of crazy, so Leo didn't want to make her too mad.

"Uhh, I'm eighteen ma'am. My name's Eleanor , but you can call me Leo for short." She swallowed as all eyes were on her. She liked attention, but these people were making her uncomfortable.

"I started a fight down in the slums that I shouldn't have." her words were more quiet at the moment, less cocky like Tadashi had sensed from her personality earlier.

"Oh, Here Leo." Hiro handed the girl back her sharp knife.

"Thanks kid." she folded it up and shoved it into her back pocket.

"A knife? Gosh, what did I do wrong raising you Hiro?"

"She saved me aunt cass, she fought off that big dude and gave me the knife as protection, I swear Aunt Cass!" Hiro tried to defend her. Lightning struck outside as it started to rain.

"Sorry to have bothered y'all, but I had better be going. Its starting to rain and I should leave."

"Oh no, I'm not sending you out in that weather. Here call your parents and tell them you're staying at a friend's house while the storm passes over." This lady was mad one moment and kind the next. she definitely had Leo confused. She took the phone in The woman's hand and dialed her house number. She knew it would go directly to voicemail and that her parents wouldn't pick up. She dialed anyway so as not to raise suspicion.

"Hey, i'm spending the night at a friends mom, i'll come home tomorrow alright? Call me back when you get this." everyone had heard it go to voicemail but didn't say anything.

"Alright I'm making my spicy chicken wings so how about you kids go upstairs and hang out and I'll call you when its ready." With that, Cass basically shoved all the kids upstairs.

"Wow." Leo spoke in awe as she looked around the boys' room, it was small and shared, but there was a lot of tech in here. Definitely some bots.

The handsome boy, tadashi spoke up. "So why did you really fight that guy?" he smirked knowing they hadn't told the full truth. Leo didn't see the point in lying to him.

"He wouldn't pay Hiro his winnings even though he creamed the guy and I just really wanted a you know?" She said with a shrug. He smiled and then she recognized him. That smile. That was the smile that had saved her two days before. She could see it now, how could she not recognize him before? Those big goofy ears, the cute face and that hat! She should have seen it sooner.

"What's with the hair?" Hiro asked slumping in his swivel chair. She assumed he was referring to the color. It was an electric blue color and definitely not normal. She had died it about a week ago when she was trying to be noticed, different.

"Hiro." His older brother nudged his ribcage, probably thinking that it was a rude question.

" No, it's fine." She offered a genuine smile.

" I was just bored with it I guess." she shrugged again, something she did a lot.

"So what school do you go to?" Tadashi offered. She had graduated last year and never even applied to college, she was slightly embarrassed to tell them.

"Oh well, last year I went to East side high but right now i'm not attending a college." she rubbed her neck sheepishly. If tadashi thought she was stupid he didn't show it.

"Where do y'all go?" she asked curious.

Tadashi answered.

"I go to SFIT and Hiro here is a Sophomore."

"Dang what are you guys, kid geniuses? I always wanted to go to SFIT, but I didn't inherit my parents' brains."

"What do your parents do?" Tadashi inquired.

"Oh um, they are the head scientists at the Parker Science Center across town. Jamie Parker and Jonathan Parker. What about yours?" Tadashi should have known better than to ask about her parents, but he wasn't thinking.

"They passed away when I was nine, that's why we live with our Aunt Cass." His voice was solemn and she could see the sadness in the youngest boy's eyes even from across the room.

"Oh. Well, I bet they'd be proud to have such smart kids." she offered trying to cheer them up, she felt bad the subject had come up and Tadashi smiled.

"Hey Hiro, mind showing me that bot again?" She wanted to cheer him up, he was just so cute, this little kid. He gave her a toothy grin. Out of the corner of her eyes she saw Tadashi Smile at her kindness. While Hiro explained his bot, where Leo had a little bit of a hard time following but smiled like she knew exactly what he was talking about.

"That reminds me kid, you won that fight fair and square!" She reached for her back pocket and pulled out a huge wad of cash. Tadashi's eyes widened at the wad, had his brother really won all that money?

"Whoa! Leo when did you get this?" the small kid asked, smiling as he took the wad of cash.

"I let him sock me in the face so I could grab it from his back pocket." she smirked and that was the start of a very good friendship between the three of them.