The Children of Erebus

VI

I swung the door open, allowing Katarina to enter before me. The class was technological development (history). The minute I walked in, the sound of whistling filled the air.

"Yo, Cos! You miss me?" I spun around and to my utter amusement, it was Dragonfly, in uniform. I gawked at him, slack-jawed.

What the hell is he doing here?

"Who's the pretty dolly?" He asked smirking flirtatiously. Katarina's golden eyes flared: a fire blazing.

Here it comes... You better duck, brother, before she roasts you.

It was too late though, and her fire was already raging.

"Who you callin' a dolly, pencil neck?" I had to bite back a smirk at Katarina's retort. Dragon's eyes gleamed, with a bizarre mix of anger and bemusement.

She was lying, of course. Dragon was anything but a pencil neck. He, much like Hawk, was a muscle builder and prided himself on it. He wasn't quite as gigantic as Hawk, but larger than most, especially other gangly teenagers: especially her petite form.

Heck, she couldn't have been over 5 foot 4 and even that was generous. It would be far too easy to break her, far too easy to kill her. Yet, the way she carried herself, one would think she was 10 feet tall and made of titanium.

I admired her for it. It wasn't often I met someone as strong-spirited as her and that fire of hers... it took my breath away. It was... contagious. She was contagious: dangerous even. I wondered if she had any friends.

As far as I could tell, she seemed to be the loner freak of the school. Always wistful, sitting in some corner, sketching, stuck in her own little world where nothing mattered; no one mattered.

I wish I could be like her, but where she was fire, I was ice.

It is for the best. I told myself.

That fire and defiance of hers would not last long in my world. I saw it die many times over until not even embers of it remained. I might've even had it myself when I was younger, but the only way to get through the League: fight against the monsters was to become one.

I always knew that, being that I was League born. I always knew that emotions were a weakness: defiance was painful: good deeds came at a hefty price: friendships ended tragically. I knew that if I held on to what was not necessary for surviving, I would die. Emotions were a liability, I couldn't afford to have: dreams were a curse, that would only drive me mad.

"Stand down kitten. That's not what I meant!" Dragonfly said, putting his hands up in the air, a gesture of mock surrender. As much as Dragon was aggressive, violent, and quick to ignite, he was a peacemaker amidst the people he cared about. It was a trait I had found rather contradictory.

"Shut up, octopus!" She remarked.

"How am I an octopus?" She shrugged and colour flooded Dragon's cheeks.

"How am I a kitten?" She acquired.

"Kittens are cute." He shrugged, his voice derisive: mocking and degrading.

"And can tear your face off." She smiled innocently at him. He smiled back: viciously so with the promise of retaliation.

Oh... This will not end well.

"Pleased to meet you, sharp-tongued. I'm James." Dragon told her.

"The pleasure mine, Frosty! I'm Katarina." Katarina gave a sarcastic curtsy.

So, it is not personal! It's just her!

"So, Kat!" He shrugged, giving her a nickname.

"Do you wanna be kicked?!" Her voice was falsely sweet.