The first thing that the group of four did was get a drink of water from a nearby spring, for they had fought long and hard. They then sat down around a fire.
The girl was silent while Cade, Anthony, and Gerald were talking about the most money they'd ever gotten in Elvopoly at one time. Then Cade spoke up.
"Hey, darkness girl, what's your name, anyway?" Cade asked the girl.
"Mei," she responded. "Mei Li."
"Why were you fighting that gang?"
"I...had something they wanted."
Cade felt that was a lie, since she hesitated in saying it. "No, actually. What is it?"
"...My parents want me home," she said. "They verbally abused me since I didn't have a powerful element. I originally had light powers, but since they said mean things to me, my element turned....erm, dark. I ran away when I was ten, and I'd been living on the streets in that town since. They sent people every week to capture me...I'm now fourteen. So now they want me back since darkness is powerful."
"Jeez," Anthony replied. "That's not very good. I know something that'll cheer you up. Have you ever heard of pizza?"
*****
The largest smile Mei had ever shown since she roasted her parents in fourth grade popped up on her face when she took the first bite of extra-cheesy pizza. "Thanks, this is super good!!" she told the other elves.
"No problem," Anthony said, taking a bite of his own pizza.