I still wasn't sure how to approach this whole family thing. It's great don't get me wrong! Having friends is cool to. But after living for 3 years with a cold shell and walls it's going to take a lot more to get me to cope with everything than some nice words or a pat on the head. You would think I would know. Considering I did have a 'family' up until I was 10.I guess I forgot about everything.

I didn't matter any how. I couldn't bring my self to settle. If something changed quickly to quickly for me I got restless. "Ah!" I gasped as Dick's foot connected with my bicep. I hit the hard ground of the cave and rolled away from the impact zone. I ended up on my back and I was sucking in as much air as I could. Robin paused our training and knelt down next to me. "Get up" was the harsh tone of Batman. I wanted to scream and yell at him that he wasn't being fair but I couldn't.

I tried to remember that Bruce was in Batman mode or whatever. But my brain just couldn't get around the fact he sounded so angry I pushed my self off the ground. I clenched my fist and raised my arms. I trained my eyes on Robin. If he moved I saw it. He moved around me taunting me as I blocked punches or kicks. I clenched my jaw and lashed out. He dodged his and kicked my back. I landed on my front.

"You have to try harder" Batman reminded me. I clenched my fists. Getting up. "What ever I'm done for the night" I shook my self and headed up stairs. When I got to my room I flopped down on it. I closed my eyes and let my self breath to calm down. He doesn't understand anything about me! He doesn't understand that I'll do anything to survive and that training won't change that.

When my alarm went off I got up and got dressed for school. grabbing my bag I marched down stairs. Waiting for Dick and Alfred meant I had to move around to avoid Bruce if I saw him. Eventually they arrived and i left.

Shirley tried to goad me into 'fighting' but I wasn't in the mood. When I got inside I felt the anger well up in me. Ditching my back pack I stormed out of the school and down the block. Stopping in an ally I ditched my blue coat and the red tie. The wind picked up and I was glad I was wearing thick black leggings.

And then I was grabbed from behind. Someone tied my wrists behind me and gagged me. Dragged me back and through me into the truck. I looked between the driver and the kidnapper. They were calm as if kidnapping me was normal. And then my head began to panic. Were these guys rapists or pedophiles? Or were they looking for a ransom. Would they leave me alone while they waited. Or hurt me the longer it took?

I squirmed some more. "Kid will you stop?" the driver growled. I shook my head. The kidnappers hand brushed my upper thigh. I screamed and head butted him. "Whoa kid calm down we arn't going to rape you I promise" he held his hands up. I through him a look that proved I didn't believe him. "He's gay kid he wont do anything" the driver turned into an ally. And then my vision went blank when they shoved a bag over my head.

I knew we went into an elevator and on a helicopter. And then I was put in a net with my hands and gag undone and lowered to the ground. When the sound of the machine left I removed the bag and and opened the net. I was in a forest. With a back pack that held rope, a blanket, and matches.

Great. Just fucking great. I have a horrible night. I ditch school to blow off some steam and then I get kidnapped.I have no idea what the kidnappers wanted then they dump me in the middle of the forest with almost nothing! I have no idea were or if I am even close to Gothem! But We were in the air for a while so I could be half way across the country.

I sighed and tied up my hair again. I picked up a jog and paused. One person was running towards me. Something dug into the tree. I knew that if I hadn't ducked it would have impaled my head. It was a spear. Great someone had a weapon. I darted into the forest. My legs pounding on the earth snapping every twig or thin branch insight. I could be stealthy. But stealthy doesn't put you out of range of a fucking spear.

I yelped I the ground grumbled beneath me and I tumbled down hill. Rocks scratched my skin and twigs broke under me. The minute I stopped rolling I darted away from my crash sight and climbed a tree. I watched the person keep running on the hill I had been on. I paused and waited for their foot steps to disappear. When they did I dropped down from my branch and kept moving. I was so fucking thirsty.

I stumbled along watching the ground. It was kind of fall and going into winter. I closed my eyes. It was November so the leaves were just falling. I came across a river. It was wide. And probably deep. I slipped of my shoes and socks and walked to my knees in water. I bent down and sipped the water. I knew that if this is the only water source in the area more would come flocking in. I had to leave and quickly.

Running out I slipped on my socks and shoes and darted from the area. I was maybe a mile or so away when more crunches came behind me. I narrowed my eyes and backed against a tree. They stopped. This person was tracking me. Tensing my leg I walked slowly. Then burst into a run. I sprinted quickly. My legs giving me the advantage. I looking back.

The person chasing me was male and had shorter legs than me. I smirked. With the head start I had, the speed I was at, and my longer legs I would be able to stay ahead. I also had endurance training. I knew how to run well and I also knew how to climb. Added to my fighting skill I would be able to take on people close up. At a distance with spears I don't know how well I would do. I paused rounded a tree and waited.

The boy jogged right past me. idiot I rolled my eyes. Up close I recognized him. Well kind of. Black hair and eyes, dressed in black from head to toe. He had a better advantage of clothing. He also had a jacket.

Sneaking up I grabbed him twisted him slammed him against a tree with arm against his throat. "why were you chasing me?" I asked. "I-I-I h-h-ave i-inf-fo-rmation" he tried to breath. "Really?" I asked. "Y-y-yes but at a p-prIce" he clawed at my arm. "I let you live how is that?" I growled. He grinned despite the fact he was running out of air. His lips were starting to change color. "Along those lines" he breathed out. "What is your price?" I asked. Information was something I needed. I needed to know were I was and why. If i had to fight and if there were more than him and the other boy I saw. "You protect me" he gasped fro air.

I sighed annoyed and released him. He gasped for air and slid down the trunk of the tree. "Depends why would you need me to protect you?" I asked. If he was stupid enough to fall for this trick he was as good as dead. "Tsk tsk tsk. That is information" he grinned slyly. so he isn't as stupid as he looks. But I have the better cards. "If you don't have a reason then why should I protect you?" I asked.

He didn't stop smiling. "And how would I know you wont ditch me?" he laughed. It was horse considering I nearly chocked him to death. "A small tidbit wont tell me what I need to know" I shrugged. I wasn't lying it really wouldn't. "Everyone in this forest is trying to kill each other" he answered. I paused.

"And you cant defend your self?" I asked. "I find and get information princess I don't fight I plan" he shook his hair. I sighed "Any other bonus for keeping you around?" I asked. "I know what plants you can and can't eat" he shrugged. "Alright deal" I held out my hand. He took it smiling. "Names Danny" he smiled. "Amelia" I walked away. He fallowed.

"now start talking"

"So 2 people from each city. Central, Jump, Metropolis, coast, and gothem were kidnapped to fight." he paused. I rolled my eyes. "Like the hunger games" I shook my head op hair. "No not exactly. It isn't a game it's just go ahead kill each other. They monitor us most likely but it's different. Almost nobody knows whats going on. Unless you weaseled information from your kidnappers. Which I did" he nodded.

"ok so boy and a girl?" I asked. "No Metropolis has 2 boy and Jump has 2 girls." he answered. "ok then did you get a weapon?" I asked. "No. metropolitan, central, and jump has the weapons. Gothem and Coast don't" he shook his head. "What weapons?" I asked. if any blade was available I needed it. "Metropolis has knives, Central has spears, and jump had bow and arrows" he answered. "Do you know which way the people with the knives are?" I turned to him. "South" he chirped. He thought I was avoiding them. Hah!

I turned south and headed that way. "Hey what are you doing ?" he cried out. "Heading south" i answered. "And you can tell direction how?" he asked. "Sun rises in the east and sets in the west. Pretend your in the middle. Now" I paused drawing it in the ground. "North is always to the west of east on a compos. And south is east of west on one. So by looking to east I can infer that we were heading north. So I changed direction" I shrugged.

"Wow you can do that just by looking at the sun!?" he grinned at me. "No my watch is a compos" I held my right wrist up and the top was open to show a compos. "But I could if i wanted." I quickly added. "sure" he shrugged. So we headed south. We made it several minutes in before he started talking again. "So why are we heading south?" he asked. "I need to get those knives" I answered. "What ever you say" he answered. I smiled he didn't fight my decision. He really was smarter than he looked.

The sun was just about to start setting when we found the males. They were large muscle machine boys. One was blonde and the other a brunette. "Can you climb trees?" I asked. After making sure Danny stayed in the large oak I had picked for him I circled around to put myself in front of them. Danny had said something before about us gothem and coast kids being bait.

"hey look!" the brown haired boy pointed. "Hey there whatcha you doing?" blondy asked. play dumb Amelia play the part "I'm lost and scared and I wanna go home!" I pretended to wail. "And where is home?" blondy grinned. I searched for the knives. They were in the bags I saw the silver from the pockets. "Gothem City" I sniffled. "Long way from home missy" he laughed.

you have no idea you bumbling idiot. "I know" I mumbled. "You can stay with us and.....amuse us" the brunette moved closer. "oh thank you!" I pipped in a high voice. "but" I reverted back to myself. Oh my very dangerous self. It caught them off guard. "I would much rather kick your ass" I jumped out of the way from their attack and continued to frustrate them by dancing out of reach.

"come on boys you can do better!" i laugh. Bouncing off a tree I landed on the brown haired boys back my landing shoved him to the ground and I knocked him unconscious. The blonde was obviously smarter and learned quickly. I slowed down to do a flip and he grabbed my hair tugging me upward. I cried out and saw Danny move in the tree. I glared at it and movement stopped.

"Now what are you going to do?" he laughed. "timber" I whispered striking the pressure point. He collapsed to the ground. On me. "get off fat ass!" I yelled shoving him off. Grabbing their packs and their belts I strapped the knives to my side. One knife per a boy and 2 for me. "Did you kill them?" Danny whispered as I handed him the belt. "No I never kill unless I have to" I answered.

It was left unsaid that I might have to. We hiked and entered a small little cavern. I sat guard cleaning the two weapons. "Sleep" danny said. "No you sleep I'll keep us safe just like i promised" I smiled at him. "Do you think we'll survive" he asked chewing on a roots we had dug up and washed by a small pond. "Yeah I'll keep us alive kid" I smiled. I didn't want to sleep. My mind told me I was being played. By Bruce. That he was in on it and tried to make me weak. And now I was nu-prepared with another to protect.

I said we should keep moving. Even I loved the cave but a predator lived there and I didn't want to fight an angry conger. It was mid day when we climbed a apple tree. So we spent the after noon telling stories and eating the sweet apples. "Danny sh" I quieted him in the middle of his story. He nodded. Central kids. Holding their spears. They kept moving ignoring us if they saw us.

And then the screaming started. The kids were running their weapons forgotten. And then the boys from before appeared. They looked about ready to chase but spotted us. "Shit" I growled.

"Climb higher" I instructed Danny. He nodded and climbed another 10 or 15 feet. "Hows the weather down there?" I smiled. "good you should come down and join us!" the brown haired boy answered. "I think I might just do that!" I jumped down landing on their shoulders. I danced around them landing a few punches but the brown haired boy tripped me and grabbed my ankle.

He held me dangling. "let me go!" I growled. "Nah" he shook me. He was holding my ankle to tight. I screamed as he fractured it. "Amelia!" Danny yelled. I looked up. Danny was jumping down. "No get back!" I yelled. He landed a few solid punches on blondy but was in a choke hold.

I knew I had to beg. "Let him go please. We'll give you your supplies back!" I tried. "hmm how about...nah" the blonde boy smirked. "Should have listened to your girlfriend" he snarked. Danny looked me in the eye. I felt his fear. I tried to comfort him using my eyes but a sickening crack made Danny's eyes disappear.

Danny was dead.

The boy broke his neck.

And it's all my fault.

Danny is dead.

Because of me?

I was dropped and kicked but left alone. Tears leaked from my eyes as I dragged my self to his dead body. "Danny?" I whispered. No answer. Of course not he's dead. "I'm sorry" I whispered. "They will pay" I whispered standing up.

I charged and slammed the knives into their shoulders. Every bit of metal in the wound. They will die from blood loss if not treated. "Run. If I see you breathing I'll slit your throats and drink your blood" I hissed. They ran.

I limped back to Danny and collapsed. "I'm sorry!" I cried. Tears leaked over again and sobs racked my chest. "Your dead because I couldn't protect you! I broke my promise! You trusted me!" I sobbed. "I'm so sorry" I sobbed. "I'm so scared now! What if they throw me in juivie again! No I deserve it. I let you die!" I sobbed. "I'm a horrible person. Please I'm sorry please forgive me!" I sobbed. It was well past midnight when I fell asleep. I had my head on Danny's chest. My tears leaking onto his cold chest. The bloody knives laying no more than 3 feet away.

So I slept on the ground. With a dead boy under my head.