An Unexpected Ally

A/N: Well, so far so good. I'm sorry I didn't update sooner. Chapter 3 is under way and should be done (I hope!) by Friday. I can't promise anything though... I've been busy with school for once. Wah! I'm trying, I promise! I need help! I really need someone who will help me, someone who can commit to this. I'm tired of posting my e-mail address, just look for it in my profile. But only if you want to help. I don't appreciate "hi how are you?" kind of messages. And (yes, I sound like a broken record) read and review!

Rei walked down the street early the next day. It was Monday so she had school. Rei hated school, she didn't like her teachers and the other students didn't like her. She approached the school building and sighed. She entered the school and was heading towards her locker when some commotion caught her attention. Two guys from a grade above her were picking on a girl she hadn't seen before. She was dressed all in black and had crimson colored hair. A typical punk.

She looked flat out pissed off and didn't stand a chance against the two boys. Rei had half a mind to mind her own business when one of the boys knocked the girl down. That did it. She couldn't see who they were but she had a good idea. Rei stepped between the two boys and the downed girl. She was glaring death at the two idiots.

"Hey, lookie at what we got here. Another freak," one of them sneered.

"Shut the hell up Jake," Rei snapped.

"And she's mad too," the other boy said in mock terror. "What if she comes after us?"

Rei resisted the urge to kick them where they'd feel it the most. Instead she smiled. This seemed to confuse them for a moment. Rei could feel it, the lighter in Jake's pocket. His friend, Michael, had one too. She focused her energy around the two lighters and let it rip. The lighters exploded into flames. The two boys panicked and ran off yelling. The girl they had been tormenting was standing with an amazed look on her face.

"You okay?" Rei asked.

"What did you do?" she asked.

"Moi? Nothing at all. I like to call it karma," Rei said with a grin. "So, you new here?"

The punk nodded. "I just moved here last Friday." She picked up her bag. "Thanks for helping me, I'm Lara."

"I'm Rei, it's a pleasure to meet you. What class do you have?"

Lara looked at a piece of paper. "Chemistry, with Ms. Jerkins."

"Hey, cool, that's where I'm heading," Rei said.

The two girls walked to class talking the whole time. Class in itself was not of much interest. They discussed what they had gone over last Friday. There was a test coming up and there was a holiday this Friday.

Class ended and Rei met back up with Lara. She really liked the girl, and who knew? Maybe they could be friends. A boy in their grade came up to Rei with a note in his hand. He handed the paper to Rei, who instantly recognized the handwriting. It was from Jake. She opened the note and sighed, crumpling it up. Lara gave her an inquiring look.

"They really are stupid," Rei growled.

"What did it say?" Lara asked.

"They want to challenge me to a one on one fight after school," Rei said with a smirk.

Lara looked worried, though she didn't voice it.

"Don't worry, I'm gonna knock him into the next century," Rei said clenching her fist.

-break-

The school bell rang and the students began filing out of the building. Rei headed out to the back of the building. Lara found her waiting by the basketball court. She had a determined look in her eyes.

"They challenge me and they're the ones who are late," Rei said casually.

Lara laughed nervously. "Maybe they got scared?"

"Hey! Freak!" Jake called.

He and Michael were walking over to them.

"You're early," Michael said.

"I wanna get this over with, I have homework to do." Rei said. "Which of you two bozos am I gonna kill?"

The two boys laughed.

"You won't have to worry about homework when I'm through with you," Jake said, cracking his knuckles.

He stepped forward. Rei smirked and slipped out of her jacket. Jake made the first move. He made a wide swing at Rei, who was only a little shorter than him. Rei stepped lightly, but quickly to the side, putting her hands in her pocket. A major insult and Jake was quick to pick up on it. Jake swung again. Rei dodged punch after punch.

"Hold still, Freak!" he yelled.

"Wassa matter? Getting tired?" Rei taunted.

Jake tried a different approach. He took a few steps back and smirked. What's he up too? Rei wondered. He reached into his pocket and threw something at her. She blocked it with her arm, the item imbedding itself in her arm. She heard Lara gasp.

"A knife? That's low, Jake, even for you," Rei said.

She pulled the small blade out of her arm and balanced it in her hand. The blade itself was about four inches long. Jake was beginning to worry. There was almost no blood on her arm where the knife had hit her. What the hell was she?

Rei took a step forward, knife poised to strike. Then, she vanished. Jake looked frantically around. He felt something strike the backs of his legs and he collapsed. There was a prick on his neck. He was trembling and looked up slowly. Rei was above him, knife at his throat.

"Give up? I could kill you, if you want, spare you some shame," she said calmly.

"What the hell are you?" he demanded.

"I asked you a question, do you give up?"

Jake said nothing.

"Answer me!" she said, pushing the knife a little harder. Jake could feel blood trickle down his neck.

"Yes," Jake whimpered.

Rei removed the knife and stood up. Jake lied there a moment longer then got up too. He glared at the girl. Then he and his friend turned and ran. Rei watched them go, looking pleased. Lara walked up beside her.

"How… did you… do that? She asked.

"Simple training," Rei said vaguely.

"Training? What kind of training and why?" Lara pressed.

Rei sighed. "Simple hand to hand combat. I'll need it when I'm older."

Lara was silent. "Kind of a secret, huh?" she said after a moment.

"Yeah, something like that…"

"I understand, you don't have to tell me if you don't want too, or can't."

"Thanks," Rei said looking relieved.

-break-

The two girls were walking home. They were silent as they walked.

"Where do you live?" Rei asked, breaking the silence.

"In the apartment complex at the end of Birmingham Avenue." Lara replied.

"Huh, that's not too far from me."

"Where do you live? And why are we going through this neighborhood?" Lara asked, looking at the large houses. Some were full out mansions.

"Oh, you'll see," Rei replied, grinning.

Lara said nothing for a while. Then she asked, "Do you wear colored contacts?"

"No, why?" Rei replied.

"I dunno, I've just never seen anyone with violet eyes before, I guess. I only just noticed."

"I haven't seen anyone with violet eyes either, come to think of it," Rei said, looking thoughtful.

She stopped in front of a large iron gate.

"Here we are," she said proudly.

Lara gaped. "You live here?"

"Yup." Rei walked up to the gate and a guard appeared.

Lara noticed the gun. Armed guards?

"Hello Rei, how was school?" he asked.

"It was okay, I made a new friend," Rei said. "You think you can let her through?"

"Sorry, she doesn't have security clearance."

Rei frowned. She pulled out a cell phone from her bag and dialed a number. Lara walked over beside her. She could hear the phone ring, then a woman on the other end yelled, "Rei! How many times do I have to tell you? DON'T CALL ON THE MAIN LINE!"

"Sorry!" Rei yelled back. "It was the number Dad gave me so don't go yelling at me."

Lara stared in wide-eyed wonder. She could have sworn she heard something about 'putting a bullet in his head' and 'giving you a different number.'

Rei clamped her hand over her mouth, trying not to laugh. She listened until the ranting stopped.

"Yeah… I did… no… I'll tell you later… late?… no reason… I have a friend… oh… okay… later then?… thanks." Rei hung up. "She said you can come over, just not today. She said Friday would work though."

"That would be great!" Lara said. She had never been in a mansion before.

She watched as Rei punched in a number outside the gate and show an I.D. to the guard. There was a gray streak and Lara suddenly found herself on her back with a large silver-gray wolf on top of her.

"Nirvana!" she heard Rei call.

The weight disappeared and Lara sat up. Rei put the large wolf down and he ran back over to Lara, tail wagging. She smiled and held out her hand for the wolf to sniff.

"You can pet him," Rei said.

Lara scratched the wolf's ears and he leaned into the petting, eyes half closed.

"You never told me you had a pet wolf," Lara said.

"You never asked," Rei said and laughed.

"That's lame," Lara scolded but also laughed.

Rei pulled out a camera. "I'll need to take your picture, for security purposes."

"What kind of place is this?"

"It's an organization dedicated to protecting the world!" Rei said.

"I see," Lara said blankly. Must be something big if she can't even tell me that much.

"I'll see you later, okay?" Rei said. "C'mon Nirvana."

Lara watched Rei and Nirvana walk past the gates and up the long driveway. She picked up her bag and continued down the road.

A/N: I hope you liked! Chapter 3 by Friday, if not then, Monday. Ja ne!