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Description
Fray stifled a yawn.

At this hour the corridors are a large echo chamber, and the last thing he wanted was having to explain to the Bishop why he was awake and wandering about the grounds.
Walking silently on bare feet, the cool surface of the floor was a welcome delight to his senses. Fray was more of a daytime kind of person, but there were times when the night had its moments.

"Like sneaking off to the women's barracks under the cover of darkness" He mused to himself with a smirk. He knew it wasn't the promise of sex that gave him excitement, it was simply the chance to breaking the rules and getting away with it. A couple more steps and he can finally get to his room, take a quick shower and enjoy a few hours of sleep.

Except there was a body lying right in front of his doorway.

As fun as the night has been it's pretty late, and he can already feel exhaustion tugging at his mind. The body was not an issue; he could simply walk over this tiny figure, go to bed and inform medical in the morning. He could always feign ignorance as to when and why this child arrived.

But then there was the issue of the puddle around the body. It was a mystery Fray's curiosity would not allow him to ignore, damn his want of sleep.

He crouched over the body.

Despite being drenched fully from head to toe, there were no other signs of water puddles elsewhere in the hallways. The child had scratches all over his hands and knees and his clothes were torn in places. The child hardly responded to Fray's prodding but at the very least the boy was alive.

Only when Fray peered closer, under the wet mop of tangled long blonde hair did he finally recognized the face.

It's the runt, Fray tried to remember the name but sleepiness robbed him of clarity. One of the newest recruits brought in weeks ago. Ah.

"Was tonight the hazing? They did quite a number on you," Fray softly muttered to the runt. The ritual was simple enough, new Pawn recruits keep up their shields while the older ones try and break it, be it physical or psychological. "But why bring you here?" It's not like the Pawns to dump their victims right at the doorsteps of their commanding officers. Fray liked to think that he got along well enough with the men, but even he knew they wouldn't be this stupid and assume he wouldn't report this.

Still he knew this boy. Back at the inspection ceremony looking over the newest recruits, there was an assasination attempt.

----
Shots rang out.

"ENEMY ROOK!" Someone yelled out. Fray looked frantically around to figure out who got shot and where the sniper was. People were panicking and running wildly while the Bishop was being protected by his personal Knights. But before Fray could take another step he felt something ram him in the gut. He raised his sword to strike down when he realized he was staring down at the top of a child's head. The stupid boy must have run to him for protection but instead now had him pinned in place. They were easy targets standing out in the open.

"IDIOT, LET GO!" Fray yelled in anger, grabbing the cuff of the boy's shirt to wrest him away from him. The boy was mumbling nonstop. Suddenly the sound of richochet shots made Fray look up in amazement. There was a barrier over the two of them. Narrow though it may be, it still had the psychic density to deflect a grown adult's concentrated sniper shot. A few more rang out and barely grazed the shield. "Don't move."

Fray looked back down at the boy. Head buried and fists clenched, he was whispering over and over, "Don't move. Don't move. Don't move." Fray was incredulous. Was this kid holding this barrier all on his own? He had such a death grip over his garments Fray was sure those little fingers were going to tear his clothes. He was willing all of his concentration in keeping the two of them alive. Why?

----

Still, Fray shook the memories of recollection away, there's still the issue of the puddle. Where did all this water come from?
Surely the cuts and bruises came from the hazing, Fray mused. Either the boy's barrier failed (which he clearly doubted) or he broke concentration and decided to make a run for it. That seemed more plausible. He's seen and followed the boy on more than one occasion to wherever hiding spots he's found sanctuary from the bigger Pawns. Trying to remember where the hazing usually took place, the closest body of water would have to have been the lake. The older ones either brought him there for another round of torture or worse case the child deperately tried to hide there so how does one escape-

-call it a flash of inspiration, or the tired drunken bout of madness, but a wild thought came to Fray.

The only reason Pawns are at the lowest rung of the heirarchy is because they haven't yet been properly categorized. Pawns have all the potential to rise above their rank to whatever suits them best. A child with such powerful psychic potential and proper training could easily surpass the rank of knights and rooks to become a Bishop rank.

But what if this child wasn't brought to his doorstop.

What if this boy *Came* to *him*. All the way from the lake.

Only one rank had the ability to teleport. And this child is knocked out cold because he used all of his powers to come to the one person the child wanted to be with.

Fray laughed. Even he found the idea rather ridiculous. What are the chances of that ever happening? Why him?

But still. Fray could already feel his legs going numb from the cold and cramped legs.
It's getting late and he badly needs sleep.

----
Fray slowly lowered the towel draped boy into his bed. "What on earth am I going to do with you?" He wondered out loud as he decided to pull out his own personal first aid kit. Fray is tired but he never was comfortable with sleeping in the midst of another being. Not to mention the idea now buzzing excitedly all over his mind.

If this boy is what Fray thinks he is, it's going to be hard trying to keep this power under wraps and away from the higher ups.

If the boy isn't... Well,

Fray sprays a little ointment over the knee wound, and the child finally makes a winced expression and rolls away from him, tucking himself into a ball. Fray can't help but laugh softly at this reaction. He's used to being adored and looked down upon, envied and wanted, admired and underestimated. How this boy acts around him, is a whole new experience.

This one is *mine*.

Description
Fray stifled a yawn.

At this hour the corridors are a large echo chamber, and the last thing he wanted was having to explain to the Bishop why he was awake and wandering about the grounds.
Walking silently on bare feet, the cool surface of the floor was a welcome delight to his senses. Fray was more of a daytime kind of person, but there were times when the night had its moments.

"Like sneaking off to the women's barracks under the cover of darkness" He mused to himself with a smirk. He knew it wasn't the promise of sex that gave him excitement, it was simply the chance to breaking the rules and getting away with it. A couple more steps and he can finally get to his room, take a quick shower and enjoy a few hours of sleep.

Except there was a body lying right in front of his doorway.

As fun as the night has been it's pretty late, and he can already feel exhaustion tugging at his mind. The body was not an issue; he could simply walk over this tiny figure, go to bed and inform medical in the morning. He could always feign ignorance as to when and why this child arrived.

But then there was the issue of the puddle around the body. It was a mystery Fray's curiosity would not allow him to ignore, damn his want of sleep.

He crouched over the body.

Despite being drenched fully from head to toe, there were no other signs of water puddles elsewhere in the hallways. The child had scratches all over his hands and knees and his clothes were torn in places. The child hardly responded to Fray's prodding but at the very least the boy was alive.

Only when Fray peered closer, under the wet mop of tangled long blonde hair did he finally recognized the face.

It's the runt, Fray tried to remember the name but sleepiness robbed him of clarity. One of the newest recruits brought in weeks ago. Ah.

"Was tonight the hazing? They did quite a number on you," Fray softly muttered to the runt. The ritual was simple enough, new Pawn recruits keep up their shields while the older ones try and break it, be it physical or psychological. "But why bring you here?" It's not like the Pawns to dump their victims right at the doorsteps of their commanding officers. Fray liked to think that he got along well enough with the men, but even he knew they wouldn't be this stupid and assume he wouldn't report this.

Still he knew this boy. Back at the inspection ceremony looking over the newest recruits, there was an assasination attempt.

----
Shots rang out.

"ENEMY ROOK!" Someone yelled out. Fray looked frantically around to figure out who got shot and where the sniper was. People were panicking and running wildly while the Bishop was being protected by his personal Knights. But before Fray could take another step he felt something ram him in the gut. He raised his sword to strike down when he realized he was staring down at the top of a child's head. The stupid boy must have run to him for protection but instead now had him pinned in place. They were easy targets standing out in the open.

"IDIOT, LET GO!" Fray yelled in anger, grabbing the cuff of the boy's shirt to wrest him away from him. The boy was mumbling nonstop. Suddenly the sound of richochet shots made Fray look up in amazement. There was a barrier over the two of them. Narrow though it may be, it still had the psychic density to deflect a grown adult's concentrated sniper shot. A few more rang out and barely grazed the shield. "Don't move."

Fray looked back down at the boy. Head buried and fists clenched, he was whispering over and over, "Don't move. Don't move. Don't move." Fray was incredulous. Was this kid holding this barrier all on his own? He had such a death grip over his garments Fray was sure those little fingers were going to tear his clothes. He was willing all of his concentration in keeping the two of them alive. Why?

----

Still, Fray shook the memories of recollection away, there's still the issue of the puddle. Where did all this water come from?
Surely the cuts and bruises came from the hazing, Fray mused. Either the boy's barrier failed (which he clearly doubted) or he broke concentration and decided to make a run for it. That seemed more plausible. He's seen and followed the boy on more than one occasion to wherever hiding spots he's found sanctuary from the bigger Pawns. Trying to remember where the hazing usually took place, the closest body of water would have to have been the lake. The older ones either brought him there for another round of torture or worse case the child deperately tried to hide there so how does one escape-

-call it a flash of inspiration, or the tired drunken bout of madness, but a wild thought came to Fray.

The only reason Pawns are at the lowest rung of the heirarchy is because they haven't yet been properly categorized. Pawns have all the potential to rise above their rank to whatever suits them best. A child with such powerful psychic potential and proper training could easily surpass the rank of knights and rooks to become a Bishop rank.

But what if this child wasn't brought to his doorstop.

What if this boy *Came* to *him*. All the way from the lake.

Only one rank had the ability to teleport. And this child is knocked out cold because he used all of his powers to come to the one person the child wanted to be with.

Fray laughed. Even he found the idea rather ridiculous. What are the chances of that ever happening? Why him?

But still. Fray could already feel his legs going numb from the cold and cramped legs.
It's getting late and he badly needs sleep.

----
Fray slowly lowered the towel draped boy into his bed. "What on earth am I going to do with you?" He wondered out loud as he decided to pull out his own personal first aid kit. Fray is tired but he never was comfortable with sleeping in the midst of another being. Not to mention the idea now buzzing excitedly all over his mind.

If this boy is what Fray thinks he is, it's going to be hard trying to keep this power under wraps and away from the higher ups.

If the boy isn't... Well,

Fray sprays a little ointment over the knee wound, and the child finally makes a winced expression and rolls away from him, tucking himself into a ball. Fray can't help but laugh softly at this reaction. He's used to being adored and looked down upon, envied and wanted, admired and underestimated. How this boy acts around him, is a whole new experience.

This one is *mine*.