Fire
"Sarai?  You awake?"  Emma asked.  The two rested alone under a bridge.  Eddie stood guard a short distance away.  Lilly had wondered off to buy food, and Avana was patrolling the skies for spies.
"No, I'm just opening my eyes for the fun of it," Sarai muttered.  Emma smiled, knowing that the sarcasm meant she was feeling just fine.
"You saved my life didn't you?"
"Most likely."  Sarai tried to push herself up into a sitting position.  Her arms were weak and she just slid back down.
"Why?" Emma asked as she helped prop Sarai up.  She noticed the bandages on Sarai's arms were bleeding and her gloves had vanished.
"I made a promise.  I don't break promises."
"Oh."  Silence.  "Sarai.  I didn't mean to but..."
"You saw my memories didn't you?"  Sarai said quietly.
"Uh huh.  How did you know?"
"Your eyes.  You're pitying me.  You shouldn't.
You have no reason to," Sarai muttered.
"Who was he?"
"It's not important.  He's gone now."
Emma looked at Sarai's hands again.
"Where are your gloves?"
"Hmm? Oh yeah!  I almost forgot.  Thanks."  Sarai pulled
her torn gloves out of her back pocket and slid them on.
She then pulled out several long bandages and began to
rewrap her arms.  Emma could see the deep
black gashes that formed a strange pattern
on her arms.  It looked a lot  like another
language.  A language written in blood.  
She bit her lip subconciously.
"Let me help you with that," Emma offered. 
Sarai pulled away a second, then came to her senses. She really was too weak
to do this on her own.  She could barely lift her arms let alone rebandage them.
"Fine." she muttered, holding out her right arm.  Emma began to wrap as gently as she could manage.  Her movements became almost rhythmic.  As the rhythm continued, Emma felt herself entering a trance-like state.  Sarai, already too tired to keep her eyes open for long, failed to notice.  Emma's body continued to wrap while her mind transported elsewhere.  Deep into the memories of Sarai.  Her mysterious past was about to be revealed...

A younger looking Sarai with beautiful, bright red hair sat quietly in a lunch room.  She had cheerfully green eyes that seemed false somehow.  She sat alone though, the others giving her curious looks.  Emma recognized this as she had been the "new kid" many times before.  Elementary school usually wasn't this bad though.  A tall, gangly youth with no apparent desire to shower decided to be the first to introduce himself.  He nudged his larger buddies jokingly and headed on over to her table.
"Hey sweetheart.  That looks good.  Can I have a taste?"
"No."
"Give it here!  I'm hungry.  I forgot my lunch today!  You should share.  I mean it's not like you need the extra weight," he said grabbing at it again.  Sarai pulled her tray back and the young man reached out anyways.  He grabbed her arm hard enough that it would bruise later.  She tried to pull it back but couldn't.  He was stronger than he looked.  No teachers were coming to help.  Stupid school system.  The harder she pulled, the tighter his grip became.
"Let go!"
"No!"  The young man's eyes flickered black and then he was shot across the room by sparks of black magic.  His body crumpled into a heap and Sarai took off running.  She had no idea what had just happened, but she knew she was going to be in trouble.

"Hey.  You're the girl who does magic right?"  A rough looking teenager asked.  He had to be at least ten years older than Sarai.
"Yes.  You're not afraid of me?" she asked innocently.
"No, not at all.  In fact, I want to be your friend.  Unless you'd rather be alone?"
"No!  No.  You can stay."
"What's your name?"  The teen sat down, his long legs sticking out in front of him.  Sarai noticed his many tattoos.  She blushed slightly at how well he was built.
"Sarai.  It means princess."
"You can call me Firepants.  What are you doing out here?  Don't you have any family?"
"No.  They kicked me out after what happened at school."
"You parents kicked you out?"
"Foster parents."
"Oh.  How about I take care of you?  I know a girl you can stay with.  I'll keep  you fed."
"What's the catch?"
Firepants grinned wickedly.  Sarai could sense the black sparks being drawn toward him.
"Alright.  I'll do it."
"Is your hair really red?"
"No I dye it.  I have contacts too.  I wanted to look...normal."
"You should stop."

"Look, the book says it's safe.  It will help make your powers stronger.  You get stronger, I get stronger.  It's a win-win situation."
"But this looks dangerous.  I have to use my own blood?"
"Don't worry.  Those white sparks of yours will get rid of it.  I swear.  Trust me."  Sarai looked at Firepants carefully, then nodded.  She grabbed a knife and began to dig in.  As her screams grew louder, Firepants guided her hand to make sure she finished the ritual.

"I can't do this anymore!  It's wrong!  You're hurting people!" Sarai was in tears.
"You never had a problem before.  Besides, it's too late.  You're in too deep."
"No I'm not!  You think you can stop me?"
"No.  But no matter where you go, people like me will find you.  Evil people.  Do you really want that?"
"I'll take my chances."  Sarai pushed past Firepants and ran out the door into the night.
"I've got to get rid of this curse," she whispered.
I know he's not anime style...but I felt it would be better this way...