Disclaimer – I claim no ownership to the characters used in this fan work. The characters rightfully belong to their creators such as Monty Oum and their other respective owners at Roosterteeth.

Young Blood

It was beautiful day in a small local park. Mid-afternoon with a cloudless sunny sky. A gentle breeze brushing against all passersby. The plentiful sound of young children horsing around in the distance.

The park grounds weren't very spacious nor were they exceptional in any way. A single walkway split the already tiny grounds in half as it connected the West and East entrances. A group of old benches placed alongside of it. An old rusting playset on one corner, a barren view of nature, grass and trees on the other.

With poise and grace, a lone well-dressed man strolled down the center cobblestone pathway. An expensive looking cane being the only thing that walked beside him. The man had styled and bright orange hair, a black bowler cap placed neatly on top. A suave matching pair of black dress pants and shoes beneath him. In contrast, he dawned himself in a freshly purchased elegant and white buttoned up suit. The man held a young face, the look of someone who could barely pass beyond his late teens.

Reaching the first of the benches, he turned to it briefly. Leaning down, he brushed a bit of dust off the back before taking a dignified seat on the left side. Plopping down, he crossed one leg over the other. Still holding the cane in his right hand, the man held it behind the decrepit park bench as he got into a more relaxed position.

With a light huff, he gazed out at the barren landscape. "Just take a load off at the park, Roman. We'll call you when we need you, he says." The well-dressed man mused to himself, recounting his recently received orders. Sighing to himself, a smirk rose. "Doesn't matter. I'll be running this syndicate in a few years as it is anyway." The man seemingly gloated out loud to no one in particular.

"Why are you all alone, mister?" The voice of a young child asked, gaining the older's attention. His smirk fading, he glared over to his right to see a small girl curiously staring up at him. Even while standing up, she was barley as tall as his knee. She couldn't have been older than five. Her gray eyes peering up at the young thief's emerald gaze. She had on a light black one-piece dress that ended a little above her knees. Shiny black shoes on her feet, most likely maintained by a parent. A plastic headband with a fake rose on one side was fastened on her forehead to push the bangs away from her already short black hair.

Roman looked down at the young child and was more than prepared to go on ignoring her. This was in fact going to be his course of action, until she opened her mouth again.

The young girl grew a wide and interested smile. "Wow! You're dressed really cool!" She exclaimed looking him over further.

The brief flaunt to his ego allowed the criminal to reclaim his lost smirk. "Well, ya got good taste, kid. I'll give ya that much."

Shifting closer, the child leaned on his leg. Looking up at him, it seemed as though she was about to burst from excitement. "Are you a huntsman?" She couldn't help but shout.

Leaning his head back more, Roman couldn't stop himself from letting out a wave of deep chuckles. After taking a brief moment to collect himself, he stared forward once more. "Quite the opposite, actually." He admitted with no real concern.

Perplexed, the girl continued to gaze up at the well-dressed man. "I didn't know boys could be huntresses." She stated innocently.

His previous smirk faltered lightly as he tried once again to relax. "You got a one track mind. Anyone ever tell you that, ya little tike?" He spoke up again, a shred of annoyance in his tone as he continued facing away from her.

Without even asking for consent, the child hopped up and pulled herself onto the empty side of the park bench. Her legs kicking back and forth impatiently as she tried to find what the man found so interesting in front of them.

Gazing ahead, the older of the two glanced to his side as he examined the strange child. Just when she turned back to him, he quickly looked forward again. "I take it you wanna be one of those huntresses? So that you can beat up all the bad guys, huh?" Roman brought up, teasing her as she couldn't have possibly known his given circumstances.

"Yeah!" The excitable child exclaimed again.

Without any real interest, the older of the two started playing with his cane behind the bench, spinning it in his hand. "Oh? Why's that?"

Clenching her two small hands over her chest determinately, the young girl leaned closer again. "Cause bad guys are meanie butts!"

This response earning a genuine smile out of the male. "Oh. I see." He spoke with little conviction, the situation amusing him to a certain extent.

Trying to show off, the girl began practicing karate chops. Her swings became more and more robust until she gave a wide horizontal chop in front of her. The force was so much that she had begun awkwardly plummeting off the front end of the bench. Acting instantly, Roman easily brought his cane up from behind the bench and caught the back of her collar with it's hook. Pulling her back up, he unhooked himself then silently shifted it back behind them. The young girl curiously looking around them, trying to understand what saved her.

As she did so, the man pulled a cigar out from one of his interior pockets with his left hand. Holding it in place with his teeth, he reached back into his jacket and pulled out an expensive-looking silver lighter. After lighting it, he hid the silver tool back inside his pockets. Taking a drag, he almost immediately after coughed what he had inhaled back up.

Staring up at him, the girl cocked her head to the side. "Are you okay, mister?"

Scowling to himself, perhaps in embarrassment, the thief turned away further. "Seems I'm just not used to these things yet. Sure they'll grow on me in time."

Still interested, the girl kept up her curious stare. "Are they good for you?"

Letting out a moderate sized breath, Roman took another short drag from his cigar. Handing it much better this time, he pulled it away from his face and exhaled to released a puff of smoke that blew away with the passing breeze. "Not at all. It's about face. It's a status symbol." He spoke in a matter-of-fact tone.

Frowning up at the older man, the black haired girl crossed her arms. "That sounds dumb." She blatantly stated.

The thief twirled the status symbol in his hand as he responded. "It's an adult thing." He quickly admitted, not even attempting to justify it.

The girl kept up her same disapproving stare as before. "Adults are dumb."

"Yes, yes they are." Roman noted, accepting her accusation. "Unfortunately for me, I don't care much for kids either. Meaning, I'm going to be alone for a long long time." The criminal couldn't help but muse to himself. His outward thought process unexpectedly wandering into self-reflection.

"I'll be your friend, mister!" The younger happily proposed, leaning closer once again. "My name's Ru-" She stopped when she was lightly bonked on the top of the head by the blunt handle of the man's cane. She held the point of impact with both hands as she recoiled herself.

"Weren't you listening?" Roman spoke up, practically scolding. "As I recall, I believe I said, I didn't care much for kids." He clarified, repeating himself.

Pouting, the child looked back up at the man, still holding the top of her head. When she gazed up, her expression dropped. The seemingly cold man was staring down at her with a pleased and content smile. This causing a similar one to spread across her lips as well.

All of a sudden, a buzzing sound began emitting at regular intervals from the side of the man's pants pocket. Putting the cigar back in his mouth, he pulled out what appeared to be a vibrating digital cellphone. The word job flashing on the front glass screen.

Putting his small handheld device away, Roman rose up into a stand with his cane. Grabbing his cigar again after awkwardly juggling it between his free hand, he glanced back over at the child. "Well, it seems I must take my leave." Turning away, he took one last look over his shoulder, her brightly colored plastic headband sticking out to him as he did so. "So long, Red."

As the older took his leave, the girl hopped off the bench and gave an energetic wave even though his back was turned. "Bye, mister!" Afterword, she ran off toward the other children who playing at the playground.

Left in a surprisingly pleasant mood, the gentlemanly criminal took his leave from the park. Roman shook his head to himself while he passed through the exit-way. "Kids these days just keep getting weirder."