“You do this often? The fights, I mean, not the losing.” Kai’Sa grinned. “I’m gonna have bruises on my bruises,” she admitted. Akali was as impressed as she was in pain. Akali heard Kai’Sa tell all five assailants that if she ever caught them picking on anyone, human or otherwise, she’d personally make them regret it.

Basically Akali’s opposite, or so she had thought, right up until Kai’Sa had stormed into the alley. Polite, excellent in every subject, quiet. Akali had never spoken to her, but she knew Kai’Sa had been popular ever since she transferred to Valoran City Middle School earlier this year. It was only then that Akali realized she recognized this girl! Tall, pink hair, prim clothes. “As comfy as that seems, maybe we should get you off the ground? This place is gross.”Īkali couldn’t argue with that, grabbing the girl’s arm and pulling herself up. The girl stepped forward to stand above Akali. It’s cozy, you know?” The girl laughed, making Akali smile. “But then I figured I’d just stay down here. “Knocked down, actually,” Akali corrected her with a wince. “Did they knock you out?” the stranger asked, concerned. Awareness of where, exactly, those punches and kicks had landed, however, kept her on the ground. She forgot everything but the stars, until a soft voice broke her focus.Īkali tried to turn toward that voice, curious as to who’d been brave enough to break up a five-on-one fight. Forgot the way the other kids had turned on her when she’d tried to stop them from hurting the small, grimy puppy they’d found in the alley.

She forgot the feeling of gravel pressing into her back as she lay prone where they’d left her. Pretty, Akali thought, focusing on those distant lights, forgetting for just a moment that she couldn’t breathe. They shimmered above her, each one a flickering flame over Valoran City.

Prim nails