Chapter 15: Battle

*Flashback*

Leo had quickly knocked out or heavily injured the three subordinates of the Crimson Cloak, each one leaning on the brick wall, either blood going out of their mouths or down their ears, either way, they could no longer fight.

This led to only Leo and the Crimson Cloak to look at each other, both impressed with the other's skills.

"You're strong," The woman under the hood and mask stated, nodding to Leo. "I wasn't expecting you to be able to keep up with me."

"I came out here tonight to actually find you. I thought it'd be fun to meet a vigilante, but I see no hero, just a killer who would rather destroy than find a solution." Leo said, his red eyes glaring through the dark holes of the masked Crimson Cloak.

"If you are who you say you are, which I very much doubt by the way, then you have no reason to speak of such things, nor ridicule on how I run this city, also, if you were the Red Reaper, I'd be dead."

"That's if I were trying to kill you," Leo spoke, a smirk forming under his gas mask. "But as I said, I promised to never kill again, to never stain my hands with the death of another. I recommend you do the same."

"Or what?"

Leo glared at her. "Or I'll make sure you'll never be able to walk again!" And with that, the two engaged each other in combat, foots flying, punches hitting and missing, tripping and blades clashing, neither one getting the upper hand.

Then, the Crimson Cloak ducked under one of Leo's punches and delivered an elbow to the gut, making him look at her before he grabbed her by the wrist and slung her over his shoulder, his enhanced strength making her fly several yards before crashing into a couple of loose trashcans, garbage spilling everywhere.

"You can't be the Red Reaper! My brother was stronger than you!" She shouted in an angered tone, that even monotone voice now gone as she threw several ninja stars and knives at Leo, who caught them all with one hand before putting them in his pocket.

"I needed some of those," A lie, but it was funny to watch it infuriate further ."But what does your brother have to do with any of this?"

"I don't need to speak to trash like you!" She shouted as she ran up the wall a few feet and launched into the air, bringing her leg down on Leo with full force, but he just caught the leg with both hands and pushed, sending her back. She flipped mid-air and landed on all fours, a small knife now in her right hand, causing Leo's eyes to widen.

"Where did you get that?" He whispered in awe. "It's impossible, you shouldn't have that sword!"

"So, it really is you, you are the Red Reaper!" She shouted as she charged him. "You killed my brother Proture! I was there, I saw everything, but I guess you didn't see me!" She swiped forward, but Leo just dodged, taking a step back in shock as he watched the girl try and kill him.

"So, a loyalist to the New Confederacy, huh?" He asked, but she shook her head, slashing horizontally.

"No, I never agreed with my brother, but I respected and loved him! He was my brother and you killed him! I'll kill you here and now!" She dashed forward and her knife was suddenly grabbed as her wrist was suddenly seized before she was pinned with several of the projectiles she had thrown at Leo before.

"Your brother was the secondary leader of the New Confederacy, he needed to die to end that war."

"You couldn't have captured him?!" She screamed. "He was defenseless, a broken man when you decided to stab him in the heart!" She pulled herself free and tried to punch Leo, but her fist only hit his chest, but it hurt her more than it did him. She cursed as she backed away a little. Leo sighed.

"I have no excuses, but I did what I did and I won't change my mind on whether it was right or wrong, because it's in the past." He threw the knife into the concrete next to the Cloak, it embedded all the way to the hilt. "But that's enough for now, we will meet again. Possibly under better conditions." And with that, he disappeared from her view.

*End Flashback*

"So, there's a tournament between Brikston and Glendale?" Leo asked as they walked home. Alex nodded absently, her eyes clouded, something obviously on her mind. "Weird, I don't remember that."

"Yep, tradition, there's a huge rivalry between us." She said, shaking her head and clearing her thoughts. Leo noticed this and rose an eyebrow, concern in his eyes.

"Are you okay?" She nodded, sending him a smile to convince him, which he bought. . .for now.

"Yeah, just kinda tired, it's a lot of work to have to protect you from both Glendale and Brikston assholes," Leo laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his head.

"Sorry," Alex let out a small laugh, shaking her head.

"It was a joke." They walked in relative silence, it not awkward, yet not comfortable, a small tense atmosphere surrounding the two teenagers.

"I'm sorry about Jonah," Leo spoke in a regretful tone. "He's an ass, I thought I could get away from him, but he's like a curse." Alex shrugged.

"Not your fault, he's part of Glendale. I'll just kick his ass during the tournament." Leo smiled brightly, giving her a thumbs up.

"You can do, I believe in you!"

"Corny," She replied easily without skipping a beat, the tenseness was gone in an instant.

They arrived at his house, where Leo walked through his gate.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Alex, you need a cab?" She shook her head.

"Thanks, but I prefer to walk." Leo rolled his eyes at the stubborn raven-haired teenager in front of him, but to each their own, he thought.

"Well, do you wanna come inside and meet Hayden?" Alex hesitated but nodded. She could learn a lot about Leo, who has been a mystery since he joined Brikston on grades alone, which was unheard of. Then, it dawned on her.

She only knew Leo's name and nothing else. Sure, he was the CEO of a powerful company, but that was it! His past was unknown, and these weird people that kept popping up around him were even weirder, it was unsettling.

"Sure, I'll meet the little guy," Leo grinned.

"He's the cutest little baby ever!" He said. "Besides me of course," He added, laughing at his own joke, making Alex roll her eyes. They entered the house and were greeted by Phineas, who's eyebrows skyrocketed at the sight of Alex.

"Master Leo?" He whispered in the teen's ear. "There seems to be a young woman who had followed you here," Leo deadpanned at the butler, who had a smug smirk plastered across his slightly wrinkled face.

"You don't have to be mean," He muttered. Phineas turned to Alex and bowed slightly.

"My name is Phineas Cormir, if you need anything just call for me!"

"My name is Alex, and I appreciate it." She said awkwardly, not good with dealing with other people in a place where she had no power. Leo sent her a small smile, pushing his glasses further up on his face, his eyes closed.

"Come on, Hayden's probably with Patricia!" He grabbed her hand and dragged her to the reading room, where Hayden was sitting on the floor playing with his tiny cars, rolling them down the track with an interested look in his eyes. Patricia, who was sitting on the tiny chair at the edge of the room, watched Hayden carefully, a loving look in her eyes.

Alex could feel the peace in the room, and could instantly see why that Tannis girl was hurt so badly for threatening this place, it was nice. She saw Leo's face and almost took a step back in shock.

On his face, was a genuine smile, seeing his little brother playing with the cars, his eyes shining differently, filled with warmth and love that could only happen when only one loved so greatly that it could brighten up their world completely.

She had never seen him like this, all of his smiles, grins, or laughter before this, seemed fake and stale. This was the real Leo she was seeing, and she liked it. The realization of her last thought sent a small blush on her face before she cleared her throat, knocking Leo out of his small thoughts and he grinned brightly, lighting up the room completely.

"HAY-HAY!" He shouted as he charged towards the boy and engulfing the child in a hug, making the little blonde-haired boy giggle so much that he began clutching his sides. Leo stopped his attack on his younger brother and pointed at Alex, who suddenly felt very out of place.

"That's Alex, she's a friend from school, go say hi!" Hayden nodded as he stood up, still laughing a little bit before marching up to Alex, who looked nervous before he stook out his pinky.

"Hi, I'm Hayden!" Alex's eyes widened before she interlocked her pinky with Hayden's own and shook it.

"Hello, I'm Alex." Hayden nodded before turning right back around and running right into Leo, headbutting the older boy in the chest making him laugh even harder as he play-wrestled Hayden, who was winning at the moment by snaking his skinny arms around the older boy's neck and squeezing while Leo pretended to die.

"Their love is pure, nothing can taint it," Patricia said, surprising Alex by her sudden appearance at her side.

"I can tell, they seem very close." Patricia nodded.

"They are, though, Leo doesn't spend as much time with Hayden as he wants to, balancing school, a company, and a private life, I don't see how he does it." Alex nodded absentmindedly, seeing Leo bump heads with Hayden, both boys grinning.

"Are they related by blood?" Alex asked. Patricia frowned slightly.

"Yes, though, they do have different fathers with the same mother. Leo is thirteen years older than Hayden is, but the moment he laid eyes on the child that was wrapped in a blue blanket, he fell in love instantly. It changed him completely," Alex looked at Patricia weirdly.

"Changed him? What do you mean?" Could this be what Jonah meant when saying that Leo had grown weak? Was he strong before, and then Hayden made him weak? Patricia placed a hand on Alex's shoulder, a sad smile on her face.

"Leo had a. . ." She paused, trying to find the right word. She found it and continued. ". . .troubled childhood, but that is all I'm going to say, if you wish to learn more, you should just ask." Alex's eyes drifted to Leo, who was walking towards her, Hayden on his back.

"Whatcha talking about?" He asked cheerfully.

"Just how cute Hayden is," Alex said quickly. Leo nodded.

"I know right?!" He pinched Hayden's cheeks, making the boy swat the teen's head, making Leo groan as Hayden giggled, resting his chin on Leo's shoulder. Leo then met Alex's red eyes and grinned.

"Wanna go out with us to get some ice cream? Hayden wants some and I haven't taken him out in a while." Alex checked her phone for a second and shrugged.

"Why not?" She said rhetorically as she pocketed her phone. "Let's go!"

The trio left the house, leaving Phineas and Patricia standing at the door.

"What do you think?" Phineas asked his wife.

"She's nosy."

"Most teenagers are," He replied.

"She won't rest though."

"Then it's Master Leo's move." She turned to her husband, concern on her face.

"But, if she finds out, won't it disrupt their friendship?" Phineas shook his head.

"If she's his true friend, then she'll accept him for who he was, and for who he is, no strings attached." Patricia nodded.

"This is why I deal with toddlers," She said, glancing at her husband. "When Hayden becomes a teenager you can deal with him," Phineas let out a loud laugh, it echoing throughout the empty house.

"Very well my dear, very well."