Scars

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

Madeleine suddenly felt cold. Any mention of her brother would make her like this.
She should really get over it - people had been through worse. Look at Macy! And Will, and though she didn't say anything, she was sure that Kira had been through a lot too.
It was something that they all shared in common.
"There's more than Warrior in my family," she said, quietly and hollowly. "And my brother was a Warrior, but he quit the school before he could become Head. He did fight against the enemy still, but... well, he didn't want to go down the academic path."
And that was all she was going to say about it. That was enough.

[Kira & Lee Norris]

"Did, does," Kira muttered randomly, automatically correcting Madeleine's grammar before vaguely remembering that he might not still be fighting the enemy. He may've settled on a quieter life. Was it a 'does' anyway? She'd no idea.
It was a little odd though, wasn't it? From what she knew of Warriors, they lived for the fight. Her aunt was a prime example. A normal life wasn't for her. She was the first one in, and the last one out. Her mother called her a mad pregnant dog the day before she died. Never had she regretted her words more in her entire life...
"Does he still fight then, or does he have a family?" she asked, suddenly grinning. "Ooh... you could be an Aunty Maddy and I'd no idea!"

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

Madeleine closed her eyes briefly.
She'd never thought... Shaun could have had a family one day. Should have.
Or at least, he should've had the chance. He would have been a good dad; he was so kind and laid-back, and kids always loved him.
"My brother's dead," she muttered, the words falling like lances on her as she heard them. Every time she said it, it felt like reconfirming it. "He was murdered."

[Kira & Lee Norris]

A thousand stinging slaps across the face couldn't have paid for what Kira had just made Madeleine say.
Her face was on fire. "Sorry," she mumbled, hiding behind a sheet of blonde hair. "My aunt's dead too. Died in battle only last year."

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

"I'm sorry," Madeleine said, opening her eyes and looking at Kira. "My brother was killed last year too."
And the pain still hadn't gone away. She doubted it ever would completely fade. She'd still miss him; she'd still regret the life that had been lost, and how her life was altered by it.
And now she knew that Kira knew all about that.
"It's awful, isn't it?" she said quietly. It wasn't a question, more of a statement.

[Kira & Lee Norris]

Kira didn't trust herself to answer; so she nodded weakly instead. The fatal blow. The final straw. Her mother's last nerve. The split. The tears. The temper. And the departure. Her aunt's death had kicked it all off. Her aunt's death had destroyed her family.
She could still be speaking to her mother.
Lee could still be with his parents.
They could still be a set- a unit.
They could still care about each other.
There could still be some love- even a little was better than... than this.
She could've been a bridesmaid. She would've been a bridesmaid...
What could be was so much better than what is.
"So next time I'm fighting," she muttered, tucking her hair behind her ear. "Next time I'm going into battle with you. And believe me, there'll be a next time."

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

Madeleine blinked. "Didn't you say that you'd be scared, and that you wouldn't be able to?"
Battle was dangerous. Battle could kill. The reason Madeleine had been worried about going into battle was that her parents could lose another child.
Not that she was trying to discourage another person to add to the ranks, but she was a Warrior. In the end, she didn't really have a choice. Kira did. What if she made the wrong one?
Besides, there was a more practical reason for Kira to refrain from fighting.
"I don't think that they'd let you," she said quietly. "They nearly lost two Heads, and every battle they nearly lose another. They won't let the last remaining Head risk her life as well."

[Kira & Lee Norris]

"I wouldn't," Kira replied with a twisted smile. "But my aunt would. I dream. I imagine. I can play pretend. Call it... channelling her spirit, haha... And as for the Head thing? Screw it. I'm- me as my aunt- fighting. I'd be pretty useless if I didn't, right?"
Madeleine had hit the nail on the head there:
"They nearly lost two Heads, and every battle they nearly lose another. They won't let the last remaining Head risk her life as well."
Bingo.
Everyone had their battle scars. It showed what they'd done for the school. Kira couldn't help it. She wanted in; she wanted to get her hands dirty. She wanted to prove herself to herself. She owed her Aunt Black that.

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

Madeleine smiled. "Training session tomorrow at two, then."
Well, they'd filled the gap left by Ollie, hadn't they?"

[Kira & Lee Norris]

Kira felt her mouth fall open. "Seriously?"

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

Madeleine grinned at the look on Kira's face. "Seriously! Why not? You'd be a good fighter if you put your mind to it; according to Lee you have one hell of a sore kick, and your powers would work... you'd just have to put up with Levi Ryder, is all."
Then, something cropped up in her mind. "Would Lee be happy with you joining?"

[Kira & Lee Norris]

Kira beamed. "Of course he will. He'll probably be joining too! He said he would. Think you can squeeze him in?"

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

Madeleine's heart sank. It was one thing letting Kira join the Warriors, but Lee...
What if he died? It was weird how important he was to her when she barely knew him. He felt... different to everyone else.
And she couldn't let him die.
"I guess so," she said, then winced as she realised how sullen her voice sounded. "I mean, there's not a set number of people, so he ... could... I mean... argh..."

[Kira & Lee Norris]

Kira's smile slid right off her face. She knew exactly what Madeleine was trying to say. She'd thought it a million times herself. So now she over-looked it.
Or at least pretended to.
"Right," she muttered. "Sorry.. em... I should go..."

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

"What? No! I'm sorry, I didn't mean..." Madeleine said quickly, confused. What had she said? Why did she look like that?