Arthur POV

"I'll kill them," I grumbled, my foot bouncing on the asphalt. " One swipe then Bam no more problems." I ran a shaky hand through my blonde hair, before gently prodding at the bruise forming on my jaw.

"One word and I won't have to deal with my stupid family anymore. One. Word." I looked at the damp alleyway with two bloodshot green eyes. "No more Arthur get me this or shut up git, the match is on. No more hey Arthur you want a sandwich? Yeah? How much knuckle do you want on it. Nope no more of that." I tapped my fingers against the curb, and watched the moon laugh down at me through towering buildings.

"Arthur! You bloody useless..." A slurred voice shouted from our window three stories up. A bottle slammed into the concrete a few yards down. "Get back up here you git!" I put my hands in my lap and clenched them together.

Keep cool Arthur, I thought, clenching my eyes shut. Words don't hurt words don't hurt words don't hurt. Something hit the back of my head, and sent me sprawling to the ground.

"I said get up here!" Allister screamed at me as I sat up, clutching my neck. A shoe sat on the ground, soaked in the sludge. Clenching my jaw, I stared at the dirty puddle.

"Keep your cool Arthur," I muttered into clutched hands. "Don't do it." A bottle hit the building across the street, a cat screamed. I shot up, my hair falling into my eyes.

"Shut up you bloody drunk!" I shouted at the red haired man leaning out the window. I saw his eyes widen before he snarled and raised another empty bottle over his head. I clenched my fists at my side, and saw the bottle shatter in his grasp. The brown pieces of glass shimmered as they fell to the sidewalk below. Allister screamed and clutched his hand, staring at the red flowing from his fingers.

"You freak!" He snapped at me. "Don't come back here or I'll kill you myself!" His good hand slammed the window shut, leaving me out in the cold December air. Swallowing, I simply stared back up at the dirty glass, wishing he would open it. But I knew he wouldn't. This isn't the first time I've been kicked out.

With shaking hands, I stumbled away from our apartment complex. Sirens screamed from a few blocks down. Get ready for a world of hurt in the morning Arthur. My lips were chapped and I could taste blood from where my head hit the wall.

You are a freak. I found myself thinking, and I folded my arms across my chest. You should just save everyone the trouble and… I stopped in my tracks as something moved in the corner of my eye.

Bright red eyes staring at me.

I stood there, frozen by fear as the thing stalked toward me from behind a dustbin. Its fur was pitch black, blending in with the shadows it was hatched from. It looked like a wolf, which would have been ridiculous. Wolves weren't in London. Wolves didn't have eyes like that. No, it wasn't a wolf, it was something sinister. Its black lips curled back revealing dark yellow teeth, tips stained red.

My eyes widened, as my lungs forgot how to breathe. "N...Nice dog.." It's ears flattened on its head as it took another step forward, the growl becoming louder. I took a step back, slowly raising my hands. "St….stay" The red eyes narrowed, and its legs bent. I knew what it was going to do, and I looked over at the stack of boxes, then back at the three feet tall dog. My hand swiped across the air, sending the boxes flying through space and landing between me and the beast.

My legs were running before the last box slammed into the asphalt. I could hear the monster snarl before howling into the night. I didn't dare look back; I was too scared to look back. Maybe I should have looked back, because then I would have known I didn't stand a chance.

Something slammed into my back, sending me tumbling to the ground. I felt something sharp dig into my back, and something clamp down on my shoulder. A scream burned my throat as it started to drag me across the pavement. My hands pulled at the massive beasts fur, but that just made it bite down harder. I screamed louder.

The dog, beast, monster thing pulled me toward the shadow covered corner of the alley, where the streetlight couldn't reach. Something hot dripped down my arm, and I almost gagged at the thought of dark red blood coming out of me. I clenched my eyes shut.

"Help! Somebody help me!" The stars only heard my pleas. "Somebody! Please! Get off me!" The tip of my head went into the shadows, when I heard a voice.

"Stop" I felt the dog tense up, as its legs stopped moving. "Drop" I felt its jaws slowly loosen their grip. I let out a strangled sigh as the teeth pulled out of my flesh. "Come." My eyes opened slowly, wincing as pain shot through my arm.

At the end of the alley, stood a girl.

Her light brown hair was tied up in a loose bun, a few strands hanging down her face. She was wearing a dark blue trench coat that came up to her bare calves. I don't know how she walked in those red pumps.

She stood calmly as the beast walked up to her; it's movements jerky and unnatural. Her bright red lips smiled, as she adjusted her sunglasses.

"Sit. " The beast's muscles strained as it sat on the ground, it's back hunched. The girl smiled as she reached into her coat, and pulled out something that glimmered in the lamplight. "Au revoir!" she laughed as she sliced a small dagger through the air, and buried it deep into the monster's chest.

The beast howled in agony before falling to the ground, sinking into the shadows until it was nothing but a memory. She inspected the dagger, before putting it back into her overcoat.

"Oh mon ami you look a bit pale," I felt her gaze through her dark glasses. Those red pumps click clacked through the alley. "Hmm, looks like I was a bit late yes? Oh well better late than never as they say." She took off her glasses and looked down at me with light blue eyes. She looked no older than 17. "Oh you don't look well at all..."

"No duh Sherlock," I snapped, wincing as a wave of nausea went through me.

"You English and your Sherlock...I'll never understand it," She reached into her coat again, and I flinched, fearing another dagger. She rolled her eyes and put the phone to her ear.

"Found him...uh..about that..I kind of got here a little too late...well it was only five minutes after he did it!" She rolled and looked at me with a can you believe this guy? Look. "No he's not dead...just a little...worn?" I could hear yelling on the other side. "Okay okay! Listen he's not mad.." She turned to me and winked. "See he just told me he won't sue... whatever...yeah I'll bring him...yeah yeah yeah. Au revoir." She sighed and looked down at me, wiping a stray hair from her eyes. "Bosses huh? Can't live with them can't live without them."

"Uh.." I said, before taking in a sharp breath. Her smile faltered.

"Come on Mon ami, let's get you some help yes?" She kneeled down next to me, and pulled me into a sitting position. "Oh that's not good..." She stared at my arm.

"What..what is it?" I asked, looking at it frantically. She turned my face toward hers.

"Nothing dearie, just...sleep." Her voice turned to silk against my ears, and I felt myself falling into her arms as darkness overcame me.

Ludwig POV

Gilbert's in a fight again.

"That all you got? What are you a gir..." Gilbert's head snapped to the side as a fist found his jaw. He stumbled for a moment before straightening back up, a mischievous smile still stuck on his face.

"Aw come on girl, you'll have to hit harder than that." I couldn't hear the other boys reply, but I heard my brothers obnoxious laugh.

"Kesesese, little dude you won't ever be as awesome as me." Gilbert's white hair was blinding in the midday sun, it's rays reflecting from his albino complexion. The boy across from him was too young to be fighting the way Gilbert, the kid looked only fifteen. He may only be three years younger than my brother, but Gilbert didn't show any mercy to anyone.

Gilbert swung his arm at the brown haired boy, and as he was ducking, the albino kicked out his leg and knocked the kid into the snow. Yells went in the air as the group of kids around them called out encouragements and curses. Gilbert grabbed the kid's collar and raised his fist.

"Bruder!" I snapped, taking a step forward into the circle. Gilbert sighed and looked up at me.

"Come on Ludwig," he groaned, still holding onto the boy. "This is our dinner money tonight," I looked at the bystanders holding crumpled euros.

"Then if you're going to fight, wait until they are out of the playpen Bruder." I walked up to Gilbert, and looked down at him as he clutched the boy. A red line went from his cheek to his chin. "Put him down." His ruby red eyes stared into my blue ones. He sighed.

"Whatever you say mom." He grumbled, dropping the kid back into the snow. He glared at his adoring public. "Get lost! Shows over!" The crowd exploded I to chatter before dispersing, a few girl looking at my brother twice.

Gilbert rose and wiped off his jeans, ones filled with holes neither of us could mend. He glared at me before stuffing his hands in his pockets and stomping down the street. Rolling my eyes, I followed him.

"You know you could've helped," He muttered, as I fell in pace beside him. He was shorter than me by a few inches, and my blonde hair was slicked back u like his unkempt white one. "One hit and that kid would have..." I shot a look over to my brother.

"You know I don't do that anymore," I snapped at him, looking at my hands. "What we can do isn't a toy Gilbert." He laughed.

"I remember when you called me 'big bruder' you were so cute before you became a giant," he smiled over at me, but frowned when he saw my glare. "Besides, it's more like what you can do, Mr. strong man. Me? All I got is this." He motioned to the quickly fading cut on his cheek. I watched it until all that was left was a line of blood with no wound. "How's that going to help me in a fight? Besides letting me get back into it faster, nothing." He ran a pale hand through his hair.

"Fighting isn't a way to show you are strong," I said to him, as we approached a rundown warehouse. "You don't need to do it to prove to those kids you are important." Gilbert didn't respond. I sighed and walked up to the collapsed door of the warehouse. A large rock stood in front of it, one Gilbert swears has to weigh at least a thousand pounds. I walked up to it and rolled it aside, pushing slightly on its side.

"Man I wish I could do that," He said as we snuck inside the building. "Do you know how much more awesome I would be? Like way more." I picked up the bolder and slammed it hard on the ground.

"Will you cut it out?" I snapped, spinning on my heel to look at him. "Be grateful for what you have bruder, we have more than most could ever dream of." Gilbert glared at me, a snarl curling his lip.

"More?" He growled, throwing his arm through the stale air. "You call this more? Barely surviving more?" He gave a look at the large factory room with ceiling tall windows coated in dirt. Finger drawings of birds soaring through the murk dotted the huge canvas. Two sleeping bags sat on the rotting wood floor, surrounding an old trashcan, the coals inside of it still hot. A pile of non-perishables sat in next to our water supply, the one that was frozen in the winter air.

"I had dreams Ludwig," he sighed, kicking a metal nail "heck even you had dreams. Dreams of someplace better than this." He glared at the towering glass walls. "We could show them, those rich jerks who think they can just do what they want..." He was cut off as he slammed into the wall, my hand clutching his collar as my fingers held him two feet off the ground.

"We have more then them Gilbert. We have each other right? You and me, against the world. That's more than they could ever wish for." Crimson eyes stared back at me, the fire in them dying.

"Aw brotherly love, how sweet" Gilbert yelped as I ripped my hand from him, and he crashed into the ground.

"Dammit Ludwig!" He cursed, clutching onto his foot. "My ankle!" Ignoring my brother's wincing, I spun on my heel, eyes darting around the room for the voice.

"Over here mon ami!" A high-pitched voice laughed from my right. My head snapped toward the French accent. "Oh no strong boys angry I'm so scared..."

"How did you get in here?" I snapped, looking for the voice. Then I found her.

She was leaning against a pillar ten feet away, her dark blonde hair framing her pale face as she inspected her nails. A dark blue trench coat came to her knees, not quite to the red heels tapping impatiently against the wood.

"My dear you should really invest in window locks" She smiled at her ruby nails. Gilbert huffed and straightened out his ankle.

"Get lost chick, or my kid bruder will hulk out on you," She looked over at my brother with cold blue eyes.

"Just shut up," she groaned, rolling her eyes. " The big kids have to have a talk." Gilbert opened his mouth, but no sound came out. His eyes widened, as he reached for his mouth. The girl smiled at me, and click clacked over to me on those red heels.

"Bonjour," She smiled, sticking out a long slender hand. "My name is Francine, you are Ludwig, correct?" I stared at the girl's deep blue eyes.

"Uh, ja.." I said, shaking her cold hand. "Guten tag.." She laughed, and her crimson lips tugged at the edges.

"You don't look like a killer," She said bluntly. I clenched my teeth together. "But you know what they say, don't judge a book by its cover..." I snarled. "Or maybe you just have to look at it the right way."

"What do you want girl," I said through closed teeth. She just continued to smile, as she looked me over.

"I have a proposition for you," She said, glaring at Gilbert as he started to mouth a few chosen words.

"And that would be?" I crossed my arms, feeling the word Nien on my tongue.

"Well, we are fully aware of you and your brother's...abilities, and are wondering if you would like to come work for us." I blinked.

"What are you talking about, what abi..." Francine held up her hand.

"Don't play innocent with me big boy. I know exactly what you guys can do, and my boss thinks you would be a good asset." I felt my eyebrow crawl up my face.

"And you would work for..."

"World Conservation Agency, or WCA for short," she answered, sounding like she had been saying it her entire life.

"Is that some kind of Eco friendly organization?" I asked her, almost laughing. "What would they want with..."

"We aren't tree huggers, if that's what you're implying," she snapped at me, crossing her thin arms.

"I wasn't..."

"Listen if you come with us you'll save lives and you would get out of this hell hole," Her lip curled as she looked around our home. "You have two minutes to decide, before I walk my pretty butt out of here." She blew a strand of hair from her face, and stalked toward the door.

I looked down at Gilbert, who stared after the girl, still holding his throat. She glanced back at him and groaned before snapping her fingers.

"...You little bitch!" He screamed at her, jumping to his feet. "When I get my hands on you..." I gave him a look, and he fell silent as if he was under the spell again.

"What do you think about her proposition?" I said softly, leading him away from the girl.

"Well it reminds me of a bad movie. The kids with superpowers get recruited to save the world. Too good to be true." He looks around our room, examining our dirty sleeping bags "but... maybe we should think about it." I raised an eyebrow.

"Why do you say that?" I asked, keeping my gaze locked on his wandering eyes.

"Look around you Ludwig, what do we have to lose?" I let my eyes wander around the cold, damp room. I couldn't hear the memory of laughter in these rotting walls. "We are barely making it, what can this risk cost us?" I opened my mouth, but slammed it shut. "Come on bruder let's try it huh?" I bit the inside of my cheek, tasting the metallic tang of blood. Glancing over at the girl, I saw her yawn.

"Fine," I groaned, crossing my arms over my chest. "But if anything happens I'm blaming you." He flashed me a tooth filled grin.

"I can live with that." I heard a clap from behind us.

"Wonderful!" Francine smiled. "Now, I apologize for this, but we have to go now." Gilbert cocked his head to the side.

"Why?" He questioned, taking a step toward her.

"You don't want to meet what's planning on making a little visit to your...home." She walked over to us, and looped her arms through ours. "Come on boys, it's time you see the world for what it truly is."

We were three blocks away when we saw the smoke bleeding into the clouds.