[center][IMG]http://i65.tinypic.com/2eozoyp.gif[/IMG][/center] With a hot sun laying its gentle rays upon his skin, Casper felt a sense of freedom he hadn't been blessed with in a very long time. This walk, it was a good idea, as if his sorrows and melancholy was softened beneath the sun's powerful beams. With a deep breath, the boy took in what he saw, attempting to get acquainted with the neighborhood he now called home. It would take some time for sure but as the minutes clocked by, he was getting willing to allow it. "What did your old home look like, Casper?" Freya's light and innocent voice snapped the boy out of his thoughts and brought his attention to the girl holding his hand. [color=00aeef]"It was..."[/color] If he'd give her the honest truth, he'd say that it was a drug cartel all around. People scraped by, the streets looked like filth, the only walls that didn't have graffiti on them were the top floors and gunshots were a frequent addition to the day. Was that what he would tell her? Of course not, but he wasn't going to be a complete liar to the girl. [color=00aeef]"It was really bad..."[/color] "Oh..." Freya tilted her head slightly, the girl's free hand swinging back and forth as she walked. "I'm happy you moved in with us, then!" It took a moment for Casper to offer a response, but he felt a certain warmth within his chest at the girl's words. She was sincere, and perhaps the parents were as well. Of course, he'd need more proof than he had gotten but at the very least Freya was being honest. [color=00aeef]"Me...too..."[/color] The boy finally offered, giving his new little sister a pleasant smile in response. After about half an hour, Casper was able to find the Evo school due to following the signs spread throughout. It was beneficial to be as streetwise as the boy was, having grown up in a ghetto, despite the downsides. "Oh, is that going to be your new school?" [color=00aeef]"Think so..."[/color] As was expected, this school didn't look as run down as the one back home, well his old home, though the interior could be a different matter. Of course, he wasn't referring to the architecture. How many Mitchells attended this place of learning? How many assholes would Casper have to fight off just to get through the day? Unlike his last school, these students were a bit higher up on the economical ladder so was he going to expect snobs? Perhaps not. One thing was certain though, he was reading far too deeply into this. "Can we go to the park now?" Freya's bright voice snapped Casper out of his thoughts yet again, the girl bouncing up and down at the thought of going to the playground. [color=00aeef]"Sure."[/color] The boy nodded, following along as Freya dragged him in the right direction. It was quite funny how she knew the way as if the back of her hand. The trip didn't take very long and now that he knew the way to school, that journey would certainly not take half an hour. "Do you like swings, Casper?" [color=00aeef]"Haven't been on one in a while."[/color] He scratched the back of his head, thinking it over. In his old neighborhood they had a park as well but it wasn't exactly frequented by children. "You can sit on one and I can push you!" Given the boy's weight, she probably could. [color=00aeef]"Heh, okay."[/color] Finally reaching the park, Freya's tugging accelerated upon seeing the desired destination. "That's Riley! Let's go and say hello!" Pointing at a girl sitting on the swings, Freya brightened up further and turned to Casper with anticipation in her eyes. An old friend? Well, perhaps it was healthy to get to know some new people. Casper had been doing a lot of that lately. "Hi, Riley!" Freya exclaimed running up to the swings with Casper's hand in her iron grip. "This is Casper, my big brother!" She said that so naturally, as if he had been around for years. The two had barely known one another for a day. [color=00aeef]"Hello..."[/color] The boy managed, albeit quite awkwardly. This would however have been a more successful conversation without the follow interruption. Heavy footsteps joined the scene soon after Casper and Freya arrived at the slightly populated park. Children along with their caretakers were spread out across the playground and appeared to enjoy themselves, an innocent scene only a madman would want to shatter but so it was. "Everyone...!" The voice accompanying a newly arrived, ragged looking man was deep, dark and raspy. Judging from his bloodshot eyes, he was under the influence of something and his raspy voice hinted at one cigarette too much. Torn and shredded clothes donned his frame with stains of red, likely blood, splattered across much of what was revealed. Children quickly ran to their parents and caretakers while the older attendees tried to remain calm in front of their kids. "How's everyone doing!?" "What do you want!?" The desperate, terror filled voice of a young woman offered a response which immediately caught the man's attention. She was standing quite close to Casper who had remained quiet through the ordeal with Freya holding onto him tightly. "I want to show you privileged lovelies what you've done to us! I used to have a job, you know! I used to have a fucking family! Well, you know what...!?" The man's exposed skin began to clearly harden into what appeared to be a rock like substance, beige in appearance upon his otherwise light skin. "This right here! This is the reason everything was taken from me! You know what? I've decided that...fuck it! I'll just join the system and take everything from you! That's how this works, isn't it!?" Before anyone got a chance to react, the man charged forth, his heavy stone like feet nearly shaking the earth with each step. "Casper, I'm scared!" Freya's entire being was understandably shaking due to the events but Casper wasn't much better off. He stood paralyzed, completely lost as of what to do. [color=00aeef][i]"Shit, shit, shit...! What should I do!? Should I take Freya and Riley and sprint? If I do that, everyone else might die...shit, what should I do...!? I...I need to...!"[/i][/color] Snapping out of his paralysis, Casper pushed his little sister towards Riley and dashed towards the targeted woman, leaving a vague after image of himself before appearing in front of the victim and caught the incoming punch with both hands. There was a pause in activity from everyone, people appearing completely stunned at what came to pass. They weren't alone, Casper was surprised as well. "What the fuck, boy?" The man spat, clenching his teeth as his heavy fist was stopped by a mere child. [color=00aeef]"I get that you've been fucked over...but c'mon...this isn't the way to deal with it..."[/color] "What the fuck do you know!?" Retracting his fist, the man threw another punch now aimed at Casper. In response, the boy managed to move out of the way and delivered a counter blow to the large Evo's biceps. The force threw the man off balance for a brief moment, allowing Casper another strike to his stomach which pushed him away from the woman and her child. "You're an Evo! The fuck are you fighting me!?" [color=00aeef]"'Cause you've lost it..."[/color] Punching this man hurt like a bitch, something clearly visible from the warm blood now covering Casper's hand. It was after all like punching stone. "They're taking everything from us!" [color=00aeef]"Right now, you're givin' it to them. Please, snap outta' it..."[/color] "Enough! If you're going to stop me, I'll break you in half!" They were done talking. Casper only hoped that there were no casualties because for some reason a few people refused to move their asses. They actually wanted to [i]see[/i] this? Meeting each other in yet another brawl, the two went at it again. The larger male would find it hard to get the beat on Casper given his speed and small size, but the stone covered man's absolute defense was hard to get through. "You've no chance here, kid." Clenching his teeth, Casper was put on the defensive before the man continued to speak, his fists caught by the boy mid swing. Even though Casper's strength was superior, the crazed Evo before him had more stamina and a greater defense. "That little girl you were with...I had a little one like that. They took her from me." [color=00aeef]"Sorry...to hear that..."[/color] Casper tried, allowing some distance between the two as he planted a kick on the man's thigh followed by a punch. "I'll rip that bitch apart, boy. Mark my words. I'll rip you all apart!" [color=00aeef]"Startin' to lose my patience with you, asshole..."[/color] Deflecting the next two blows thrown at him, Casper managed to stay stable for a while but a third strike connected with his side and sent him flying to the grass. Coughing up blood was never a good sign. "Looks like this is it for you. See? Good guys always lose, you couldn't protect your little girl. Now, she'll be ripped to shreds." [color=00aeef]"No..."[/color] Trying to get up, Casper soon saw a foot heading straight for his face. If that connected, he'd be as good as dead. [i][color=00aeef]"I can't die here...I can't. If I do, he'll kill Freya...I can't let that happen..."[/color][/i] Stretching his hand out just in time, Casper managed to catch the man's shin and pulled him forward to rock the crazed Evo off his equilibrium and tumbled him down to the ground. Without a single moment to spare, the boy moved his body on top of his enemy and delivered three quick and powerful punches to his rock covered forehead before Casper was thrown off. Mere moments later, the two were on their feet again. "I'll kill you!" [color=00aeef]"I'll protect Freya..."[/color] Charging towards each other, Casper dodged the man's punch and delivered his own. With all the adrenaline in his body, the boy infused his strike with everything he had left. The attack connected, sending a shock wave through his enemy's frame and shattered the stone coating before sending him flying to the ground. The force of the attack was enough to damage Casper's arm and knocked him down to his knees. "Casper!" Freya's voice filled the air but everything was fading. The last thing he felt before darkness claimed his sight was his little sister's embrace. [color=00aeef][i]"So...tired..."[/i][/color] The world around him vanished, his consciousness leaving his side. That fight had taken everything out of him.