A Whateley Academy Adventure

The Cast-offs

by

Rose Redd

 

"There's something wrong, she said, well of course there is
You're still alive, she said, oh, and do I deserve to be?
Is that the question?
And if so, if so who answers? Who answers?

I, oh I'm still alive
Hey, I, oh I'm still alive
Yeah, I, oh I'm still alive
Yeah, I, ooh, I'm still alive!
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah!” -Pearl Jam, “Alive”

 

November 17th, 2007
Whateley Academy
Whitman Cottage.

Valentina DuMont lay on her bed, listening to the slow rhythmic sound of her breathing. In. out. in. out. Having just finished class, she was exhausted. It was early morning, and her roommate was beginning to stir. It was perhaps some plan by the faculty to put Valentina in with the girl that could hurt her with her ultra-violet eye powers. It wasn’t important, because Valentina actually liked the girl, and they got along pretty well.

Having put on a sleep mask, she lay back on her bed. The other girl was awake, and by the sound of things, getting ready for a trip to the showers.

It was then that the other girls’ phone rang.

“Hello?” came the response from a sleepy-sounding April May.

Valentina tried to not listen, but a side-effect of her mutation was her above-human level hearing. She could hear the man on the other end of the phone, even if she couldn’t make out the words.

“Daddy!” April responded.

It was times like this that Valentina felt guilty. She didn’t mean to listen in, but it would be even more awkward to step out of the room now.

“You’ll be dropping Holly off tomorrow? Will Bailey and Momma be coming with?”  The sound of April’s voice was excited, but there was a note of nervousness and uncertainty as well.

Disappointed, the girl spoke again. “No, I understand. Chicken pox is serious. I just wish that I could see her before Christmas.”

“No, I get it.” she continued, clearly upset. “You have to get back for work. It’ll be good to see you, even if it’s just briefly.”

A couple seconds passed, and April replied to something Valentina couldn’t quite hear. “Love you too Dad. See you tomorrow.” The phone beeped, as the call was hung up.

Valentina turned away, pretending to not have heard. But April spoke up. “I know you heard. My Dad is dropping my service dog off tomorrow. He can’t stay long though.”

Valentina sat up, and turned to her roommate. “I heard. Chicken pox is really bad. Little sister?”

April hesitated and answered, reluctantly. “Um… something like that.”

There was more to it...Val was certain, but she didn’t pry.

At that moment.
The Quad, Whateley Academy

The girl known as Lyth Ath Tel'Ora sat in the shadow of a large maple tree. She gazed across the open space towards the red-haired girl who was about fifty yards away, facing away from her. Instinctively she wanted to run, but that would only draw attention to her. Things had not been going well for her since arriving at the school. The unprovoked attack by the crazy girl had scared her. A near encounter with her former boyfriend had made her teleport blindly into that scary wooded grove. The sense that the trees were watching, and powerful beings dwelt among the branches and brambles scared her to the core. She knew she were intruding on something ancient and powerful, and perhaps a touch malicious. Using her power, she opened her eyes and looked around. Stepping out from under the oak tree where she now sat, she walked the short distance to her cottage. Heading straight to her room, she flopped down on her bed and cried.

After a little while, she sat up, and shook her head. Maybe a shower would make her feel better.

Sitting on the floor in the shower stall, Lyth thought back to how it all happened. After arriving yesterday, the girl had only been walking down the hallway. She hadn’t expected the attack. There had been no reason for the blonde girl to do whatever it was that she did. It wasn’t fair. Nothing was going right for her. She had friends once, and a boyfriend. But her boyfriend had manifested and she lost him, as he became someone else. Oh, they were still friends, but she missed who he had been. He had treated her right, he had been a gentleman. Unlike the boys before. She had always been pretty, and with her heightened sexual drive, she had become extremely popular. She had vowed to change, and the boy had treated her like royalty. Even worse, she had manifested herself. She tried to keep it secret, but her father had found out. He beat her and she fled. Her ex-boyfriend’s family hid her, and eventually she had moved to stay with her aunt.

Things had been okay for a while, but the more she used her powers, the more she experimented with them, the more she began to notice changes in herself. Her once blue eyes turned vivid green, and if someone looked into them, they could see the color and pattern of her iris' shimmer and move like an aurora. The tips of her ears had become softly rounded points, giving her a slight elvish look. The most noticeable thing, and what she hated most though, was her skin. It had begun gradually, the areas around her knees, elbows, shoulders, and hairline had become dry. At first she tried lotions and creams  to moisturize the areas, and for a while it helped, but gradually it got worse. Eventually spots were covered with thick, dense patches, almost as rough and dry as tree bark, and even resembled it to some degree. When she could no longer hide the changes, her aunt pulled her from school. She was shunned by the girls that she had been making in-roads towards friendship with, and the boys would mock and ridicule her.

Trying to escape from her troubles, she arrived at a place where people she knew were like her dwelled. She immersed herself in their culture, in their language, and blended in. Perhaps, she thought, too well. At first she hadn’t noticed the change to her thought processes, nor did she know when she had fully switched to speaking their language. Her old life and identity began to fade. One night just a couple months ago, she bolted upright from a dream, a vision. Blurry, cloudy shapes appeared to her in a vision, and these somehow familiar beings warned her that those who had taken her in were using ancient magics to influence her to become as they were. Once more she ran, having nowhere to go. Exhausted and broken, she arrived back with her aunt. Panic set in when Whateley was mentioned. She knew people here, and she did not want to run into them. So far she had been lucky. But she knew it would happen eventually. She hoped and prayed that when she did encounter them, they would not recognize her. Her appearance was very different, as was her personality. She was not the same person that she was before, and perhaps that was enough?

A little while later…
Melville Cottage
Freshman showers

Ashleigh Hedgeworth stood in the shower area frowning. She had stripped bare, and was looking in the mirror.

Her slender figure and modest curves irritated her. She was an exemplar, and in any other school, she would be the most beautiful girl there. And that lithe dancer-like figure of hers would be seen as sexy elsewhere...But this was Whateley, where people like that damned elf-girl and that bitch Walcutt demanded attention, relegating her to the background.

She thought once again of her mother, and a scowl formed on her face. Why couldn’t she have inherited more of her mother’s physique? It wasn’t fair. Her sisters Renata and Allegra had turned thirteen over the summer, and had begun to develop before she had left for school. By now, they could have passed her by. The rage inside was simmering, and she needed a release. As she exited the room and turned towards the showers, she noticed a girl walking towards her. It was a new girl. She had overheard the tour the previous day, as one of the seniors took the fresh meat around, showing her the lay of the land of Melville.

She looked at the new girl. She was perhaps five foot five or six, with long black hair tied up in a ponytail. She was athletically built but annoyingly curvier than Ashleigh. Taking the opportunity, Ashleigh grabbed her own left index finger, and bent it backwards until she felt it violently dislocate. She smiled as the other girl screamed and fell to her knees.

Walking back to her room, Lyth cradled her injured hand. Tears flowed down her cheeks. Nothing was going right for her.

Some time later, her roommate entered. The beautiful girl known as Jolene sat on her bed, oblivious to the small crisis occurring across the room. Having removed her too tight outfit, the beautiful girl was flouncing around the room naked. Her emerald eyes glowing slightly in the dark, and her auburn hair cascading lusciously down her shoulders and back.

“Tsk, you are like so depressing. Let’s go find some boys, and have some fun.” The slutty girl chided.

“I’m not… I’m not in the mood.” the GSD girl replied. Getting up, Lyth walked over to her own armoire. She sighed and pulled out a dress and laid it on the bed, before turning to her dresser. Sighing, she dug out a bra and panties. It was a cold day outside, and the limits of her own powers meant that only clothing made from plant-based fabrics would do. While comfortable, linen was not very warm. With a shake of her head, the girl got dressed and cautiously left the room.

Across campus, at Doyle Medical.

Valentina sighed as she sat on the exam table, her sleeve rolled up. The blood draws were more annoying than anything else, but they were an unexpected source of money. When the researchers learned that she disproved assumptions about the nature of the Body Image Template, they were beside themselves. Not only had her Template been altered by Regen cloning, but she had gained a form of shifter power, a power thought impossible for someone with an Image Template to possess. Words like “Nobel Prize” were oft whispered in her presence during these research sessions. All she wanted to do was sleep, but when the researchers had called and requested her presence, she felt obligated to go.

After donating some of her own blood for the cause, she entered the tunnels to avoid the sun. her sensitivity sucked sometimes. But after having to skulk in the sewers of New York as an inhuman creature, it was an inconvenience she could bear.

After a stop at the Crystal Hall for some blood, she was on her way home for a much anticipated nap. Lost in her thoughts, she didn’t notice the other girl until they nearly bumped into her.

She knew the bird-girl vaguely, having seen her around the campus on occasion. Valentina spoke first. “I’ve seen you around campus. You’re Raptor, right? I’m Sanguine. I meant to track you down. I heard that Ashleigh Hedgeworth has it out for you for some reason. She approached me recently. She was trying to recruit me for some plan of hers. She didn’t reveal all the details, but it was something about wanting to go after you, and several others. She mentioned UpBeat and Downtrodden, and a couple kids I’ve never heard of. Some rabbit girl, for one. I don’t mean to get involved, but I thought I should let you know.”

“Thanks for letting me know. I appreciate it.” Sighing, the avian girl shook her head. “I should have predicted this. I made the mistake of interrupting her attacking UpBeat once. I think she holds a grudge.”

The conversation finished, Valentina turned and headed back towards her cottage, while the bird-girl seemed to be turning towards the tunnel to Hawthorne.

A short time later,
Whitman Cottage.

Val stretched and lay down on her bed. She was exhausted, as she had meant to go to bed several hours prior. The lights were off, as April had no need of them. The other girl was reclining on her bed, her hands moving over the pages of a book.  There was a knocking at the door, and April hopped up, responding quickly.

“Who is it?” she asked through the door.

“Um, my name is Absinthe, I am here to drop something off for Sunshine. Is that you?”

Opening the door, the girl known as Sunshine took the envelope that was placed in her hands.

“Hi, this is from the Berlin, MCO. I'm sure there's nothing wrong, but if there is let Whateley know, and I'll help you get it all sorted out.” the other girl said.

After the girl left, April sat on the bed and sighed. Her MID stated that she was blind, but they sent her a message that wasn’t in braille. How typical. April stood still for a second, shaking her head. She looked over at Val, who was clearly not yet asleep.

“C… can I ask you for a favor?” April sheepishly asked.

Valentina stood up and moved closer. “Always, whatever you need.”

April held out the letter. “They are messing with me, I know it.”

With a sigh, Valentina turned on the lights, and started to read the letter out loud.

 

Due to a clerical error, it appears that you were given a codename that is already in use. The MCO apologizes, and requests that you make an appointment to get a new Mutant Identification Card.

 

The Berlin, New Hampshire Office phone number is (603) 555- 6261.

 

Again, sorry for the inconvenience.

 

Agent Leslie McAddley.

Administrations and Logistics Department.

Mutant Commission Office

Berlin, New Hampshire

 

April swore and shook her head.

Valentina looked over at her. “I’m sorry, I know that the MCO can be assholes. Think of it this way though. You could make a day of it, some shopping, maybe explore a little.”

Nodding, April smiled. “There is that.”

“Who knows, I may even join you. I do have some Christmas shopping to do myself.” The pale-skinned girl smiled, before going back to her bed. Hopefully she could finally get some rest.

Interlude
The night before.
Lancaster, NH

The thing that was once Joy Saundersen shambled through the streets. It was midnight, and nobody was around. Mumbling to herself, she walked into the diner.

The waitress looked at the girl, with her torn and stained clothing. She reeked of body odor and worse. “Hey, we don’t do charity here. Go down to the mission, or something.”

The girl looked up, a savage grin on her dirty face. Her red eyes with their dull, lifeless gaze fell upon the waitress. The eldritch brace on her arm hummed ominously as it took in the surroundings. Suddenly, Joy was no longer in control. Only Ambivalence. Nobody heard the screams of the waitress or the cook. In the morning the police officers that responded to the site had to run outside to vomit, as the scene was something they could never have prepared for.

Once again, November 17th
Poe Cottage.

Nikki Reilly sat on the couch, watching Leanne and Koehnes as they circled warily, each waiting for the other to start something. With an eye-roll and a shake of the head, she sighed and looked over at the rest of Team Kimba. Jade was absent, off on another adventure in the terrifying realm of cuteness. Wallflower sat in Hank’s lap, snuggling. Billie sat on the ceiling, reading a textbook. Toni was doing one-handed handstands while she worked on her homework. Nikki’s gaze, however wandered over to Ayla, face buried in a newspaper.

It had begun snowing hard overnight, and although the members of Kimba could all just ignore that and go over the snow-covered ground, there was a red flag flying. Deliveries were being made to the kitchens of groceries and cooking supplies.

“So, any news or gossip anyone?” the Sidhe asked from boredom.

Wallflower looked up, removing her face from Hank’s chest. “I’ve heard some things about one of the Melville girls trying to recruit people for some group.”

Ayla spoke up, not even bothering to lower the Wall Street Journal. “That would be Ashleigh Hedgeworth, no doubt. My family has had run-ins with her family over the years. Hedgeworth Enterprises has many divisions that are in direct competition with the Goodkinds, however it seems their latest efforts have been to try a hostile take-over of Richmond Industries. Given that the Richmond twins are on campus, it seems highly likely that her parents put her up to harrassing them.”

Nikki bit her lip and thought for a second. “Hedgeworth? I seem to remember a creep with that name that tried to hit on most of the members of Venus Inc. last year”

Ayla ruffled the paper as he turned to the next page. “That would be Steven Hedgeworth, He was expelled for statutory crimes committed while on the Whateley work-study apprenticeship program.”

Finally lowering the paper, Ayla continued. “My sources tell me that he escaped custody and tried to attack the victim, after having destroyed a busy bridgeway to lure away the local hero team and authorities. That didn’t work, as he ended up being gored by, of all things, a giant blue oxen.”

Chaka laughed. “If it weren’t blue, I’d almost say Kayda had Tonka pay a visit.”

Nikki winced at the joke, and cleared her throat. “Anyhow… does any of this affect us in any way?”

The paper ruffled again, and Ayla spoke up. “Only indirectly. I’ve heard that Steven’s victim is going to  start school here next semester. Pin Cushion will be eager to get her hands on her. The part that concerns us is that the girl is an avatar of a lunar spirit with rabbit features.”

The members of Team Kimba groaned, making Wallflower look around at them all. Lily asked the obvious question. “Aren’t there like seven or eight rabbit-GSD students on campus already? Why is it a big deal?”

Ayla put aside the paper. “Four, and in each case they have had a… negative experience with Jade. The same holds true for five of the catgirls."

"Six, if you count my roommate," Hank interjected.

"True," Ayla noted. The comment about Jade hung ominously in the air for a moment, everyone silently hoping that this wasn’t portent of things to come.

The Quad.

Tori Richmond was having a really crappy day. Everywhere she went, she saw Tiffany Cobb. The girl was obviously trying to tail her, in both her human and rat forms. With a sigh, Tori pretended the small rodent following her wasn’t there. Easier said than done, but she could keep her mind on other things. Tying her snow-white hair up into a quick ponytail, she sprinted across the quad. Her brother was waiting for her at the entrance to the Crystal Hall. With a nod, she initiated a private conversation telepathically.

“Ratface has been following me around all day. You had any ‘tails’ today?”

 

James shook his head and responded in kind. “I’ve been in my room most of the day, as usual, though I am starting to get really annoyed by all of Hedgeworth’s attention.”

 

The twins went into the dining hall. Taking a rather inconspicuous place near the underdogs, the two looked around. The squirrel-spirited girl was waving her hands around and gesturing as a couple other kids followed along with whatever story she was telling. Things looked normal, well as normal as things got at Whateley. There was some commotion, as a fight broke out between a couple energizers over who had cut in line, and who deserved the last of the chocolate cake.

The siblings sat and ate in silence. Tori understood why James was becoming more reclusive, she often felt the same. Ever since the accident and the big changes to their lives, she had lost more than just their parents, she had lost who she was. She was having trouble dealing with it, but James seemed to be having an even worse time.

 Returning to his room after lunch, James lay down on the bed and took a nap. Sleeping was something James had found himself doing more and more lately. Ever since the ‘accident’, it was the one thing that stilled the turmoil in his head. But not today. Drifting off to sleep, all too familiar memories came to him unbidden.

February 6th, 2007
Somewhere in the Adirondack Mountains, New York.

Tori held on to James hand as they sat in the back seat of the SUV. His firm grip reassured her as the car bounced through the snowy countryside. His presence always calmed her down, even if they were polar opposites. The twins understood each other like few siblings could. She felt frightened as the car skidded along the icy road. Her parents screamed, and everyone started to panic as another car took the inside lane, and shoved their SUV to the outside edge of the road. He remembered gunfire, and his father turning the steering wheel over sharply. His sibling closed her eyes and hugged him tightly. Then there was silence, the sensation of tumbling through the air overwhelming them. There was an impact and pain, and then nothing.

The next memory was of waking up in the snow, in pain and with their sibling beside them unconscious. After about an hour, they had enough strength to move. The twins dragged themselves through the snowy woods for miles. Happening on what was likely someone’s summer home, they broke in and collapsed. James felt waves of pain as his body changed. Something was wrong. Glancing at Tori, he could see physical changes beginning to take place. The siblings realized that the pain they felt was more intense while they were close together, so the twins kept their distance from each other.

James could hear… something at the edge of his consciousness.

“...ake up”

“Wake up, you are having the dream again.” It was Tori, talking though their connection.

Bolting upright, James was in his room, breathing hard. Sweat pouring down his body. His nap ruined, he got up and sought out his sister.

A short time later, the end of lunch service.
Crystal Hall

James sat at the table, his sandwich barely touched. His attention was directed towards the catgirl a few tables over. She was short with long fangs, and he was fascinated by how inhumanly wide she could open her mouth while eating her deluxe hamburger.

Tori sighed. “That’s kinda rude, watching her eat.”

James blushed as the catgirl looked over and winked. Looking down at his sandwich, he intently concentrated on it as the girl finished and left.

Tori looked over to her brother. “So, the nightmares still continue.”

James nodded and looked at the floor. “I know it hasn’t been easy for you either, but I just can’t get used to it all.”

His sister walked over and hugged him. “It’ll be okay. We’ll get through it. Everything will get better eventually. I’m starting to get there, but there are still times that I remember him… but you and I agreed we would do things this way, and people wouldn’t believe it if we told the truth anyhow.”

The two turned and walked off, unaware that a rat had been sitting nearby, listening in.

November 18th, 2007
The Quad

Megan Stone sat in the branches of the tree, looking down at everyone as they passed by. Autumn was far different here than it was in Southern California, but to her it wasn’t unpleasant. With her mutation, the cold weather didn’t really bother her. The light jacket and tight spandex tights were more than adequate in keeping her warm. Springbuck was trudging through the snow not far away, swearing and shaking his fist at the heavens. Shaking her head, Megan continued to watch as the boy who was for some reason dead-set on being the thorn in her side trudged on. There was a shift in the wind and the lumbering giant stopped. Sniffing the air, he looked up at her. Damn, She should have realized that would happen. And with the leaves having already fallen, she was exposed.

“Get down here, bitch” he yelled, looking up at her. Having turned down his gross propositions multiple times, and kicking his ass at least as many times, he had given up on trying to bed her, and decided he needed to teach her a lesson. Running at full speed, he rammed the tree with his antlers. Megan tried to hold on, but the bark tore off in her claws, and she fell to the ground below. Despite the snow and her feline agility aiding her in landing on her feet, she still hurt from the impact. Her healing would take care of that, if she were given time. Something she knew the bully would not give her.

He stood over her fists raised, preparing to slam them down on her. But that never happened. Megan saw a blur of white from the corner of her eye, and a gorgeous looking girl with long white hair interceded, slamming her fist into the bruiser’s cheek and knocking him backwards. Turning to face his new opponent, Springbuck staggered. Megan noticed a boy with dark hair standing a little ways off, his hand outstretched towards the enormous GSD mutant. Springbuck fell to a knee, and then as he labored to get up, a blur struck him in the back and knocked him down, raking slashes across his back as it did. She recognized Raptor from their Avatar class, and saw the blood covering the eagle girl’s talons.

Springbuck stood up, looked at the assembled group, and clearly reconsidered his options.

The assembled group watched him take off in the other direction, and turned to Megan. The white-haired girl turned towards Megan. “I’m UpBeat, by the way. My Brother, Downtrodden, and I believe you know Raptor. Need help to Doyle?”

Shaking her head, Megan responded. “Nah, just a sprain. My Regen will have it as good as new in a minute.” 

Arriving at Crystal Hall, they ordered warm drinks.

“Thank you for the help” the diminutive girl said, as she looked at the twins. “Though I think you might have made a new enemy.”

Tori Richmond waived her hand dismissively. “Think nothing of it. We saw a bully, and had to stop it. Besides, rumors are that Springbuck is in the pocket of our nemesis.”

Tilting her head, Saber was clearly confused. “Nemesis? I don’t understand.”

“Ashleigh Hedgeworth, also known as Pin Cushion. She’s the daughter of my family’s biggest business rivals. They were also most likely responsible for the car accident that killed our parents.” James stated flatly.

“I’m so sorry for your loss.” Saber replied.

The twins smiled. “Thank you.”

It was UpBeat that spoke next. “As my brother was saying, Pin Cushion is gathering up a group to go after us. She’s had Ratface following us all over the campus, and I know she tried to recruit that vampiric shifter, Sanguine.”

James cut in. “Sanguine refused, but she did tell us about it.”

Looking over at Raptor and Saber, Tori wondered if these two had just gotten further dragged into the drama.

Melville Cottage
Ashleigh Hedgeworth’s room

Ashleigh sat on her bed, her gPad in front of her, as she scanned the list of known troublemakers and frequent detention-earners. It had been a mistake to blindly try to recruit that vampire girl without knowing her whole story. Now both the faculty AND the twins likely knew she was up to something. Worse yet, they were talking to Raptor and Sanguine. She would have even more issues to deal with. Ultraviolents were out. Ashleigh needed people she could easily control. With Tiffany, it was through gifts and the fact the girl was dumb as a post. Springbuck was easy, he could just be led around by his dick

Money and sex were powerful tools to get what one wanted, a lesson she learned from her mother. She knew the dynamic at home. Father thought he was in control, but that was largely an illusion. Ashleigh knew her mother lied about her past. She was not orphaned, and she was a lot older than she claimed. Maybe even a hundred years old. When she had been six, Ashleigh had witnessed her mother sneaking off to the private building on the estate, the one that nobody else seemed concerned about, or possibly even noticed. What she saw had scared, but also intrigued the young girl.

Her mother had stood naked over an altar of some sort. Two young women, possibly runaways, were naked and writhing on the ground on top of some sort of symbol on the ground. Chanting, she cut her hand with a knife, and then joined the women on the ground. The trio began to touch each other and the sounds of the moans and screams permeated the air. The two women never saw the knife, not until it plunged into their hearts. After her mother had killed them, she sat and drank the gushing blood, as she did the arcane symbols on the floor glowed. A shadowy being appeared in the circle. An inhuman voice, speaking an unintelligible language. She could not understand the words her mother spoke, but she understood what came next. Her mother, still naked pressed up against the dark figure, and kissing it passionately.

Ashleigh had run back to her room, sitting in the dark, crying and utterly terrified. She wet the bed for the next two weeks, and her father beat her for it.

With a shudder, the girl forced the memory from her mind, and got back to work. She wasn’t as powerful as her mother, nor did she have the resources. This was something she couldn’t do on her own. Her father had asked her to torment the Richmond twins, but she would have done it anyhow. It was so much damn fun. She needed help in her plans. There were resources on campus, but who should she ask? The Bad Seeds came to mind, as did the Masterminds. Either one posed their own problems. Some of the Seeds weren’t as enthusiastic about the criminal life. Dragonrider hung out with those annoying twits, Wondercute. Jadis Diabolik was a possibility, but there were rumors that she sometimes did things for altruistic reasons. If word reached any of her enemies, the Masterminds were more promising, but the downside was that they were always under the observation of the Spy Kids.

Ashleigh would be in extremely serious trouble if her plans were revealed to her targets.

Unbidden, She thought once again of her mother, and a scowl formed on her face. Why couldn’t she have inherited more of her mother’s physique? It wasn’t fair. She needed a release. Perhaps she could find that girl she picked on earlier.

November 18^th
Whateley Front Gate

April May stood fidgeting as the guard stood behind her. Her roommate had offered to accompany her, but April had politely declined. She knew that the other girl was sensitive to sunlight, and would burn horribly if she joined her. Not to mention that the girls vampiric appearance would scare her dad.

A car drove up, and the guard moved out of the way. She heard the shuffling sounds, and the car shutting off.  A moment later, the doors opened.

Her father spoke up. “April. Good to see you.”

“Daddy!” She responded giving the man a hug. “How is Bailey?”

Her Father sighed “Still irritable and crying, but her chicken pox is getting somewhat better at least.”

April felt the nudge of a wet nose against her thigh. “Holly!”

The border collie sat at attention beside her, and April took the lead from her father. “Sorry April, I have to go. I’m swamped at work, and I need to get back as fast as I can. We’ll see you at Christmas. Love you!”

April nodded, dejectedly. “Tell mom I love her, and give Bailey a hug for me when she gets better.”

“I will” Her father replied, as he turned back to the car.

April heard the car start up, and drive off. She led her dog back to the cottage as one of the guards took care of the cart with the dog bed, food and toys that had been off-loaded.

Reaching her room, April sat on the bed. When her roommate got back from wherever she was, she would need help putting away everything and getting things organized.

Twenty minutes passed, and Valentina walked in. April heard her putting her toiletries down on her desk.

“Who’s the pupper?” she asked.

“This is Holly, my guide dog. My dad dropped her off. Sadly, he couldn’t stay long. Not with… everything going on at home. He has to fly back to Des Moines right away. Mom is alone with Bailey, and he has to get the shop ready for Black Friday. It’s very hectic there.”

Valentina bent over and let Holly smell her hand. Usually animals could tell she was an apex predator, and would run. But the dog bravely sniffed, and with a friendly wag, she began to nuzzle the girl’s hand.

The girls tidied up the room, stashing the dog’s food and toys where April could find them. Twenty minutes later, Holly was settled into her dog bed, and chewing on a rawhide bone.

Across the Campus
Beck Library

Ashleigh Hedgeworth stared at her laptop, wishing she could scream and yell. The security office on campus had sent out an e-mail. And while she hadn’t considered the actions cited in the message, the fact her rights were being taken away still annoyed her.

To:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. CC: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Subject: Rules pertaining to designated service animals, familiars, and non-combatant associated entities.

**Harming a designated entity.** No person shall intentionally and without justification do either of the following to a designated entity while it is on Whateley campus grounds (1) cause physical or mental harm to the entity; or (2) otherwise render the entity unable to perform its duties.

 

Skimming through the e-mail she found a portion that made her frown.

 

Any student found violating this rule may be expelled, and may be subject to prosecution under the laws of the Medawihla tribe and the State of New Hampshire.

 

Ashleigh angrily shut off her laptop and slammed it shut. Storming out of the library, she knew that she couldn’t target Sanguine through her roommate.

In her rush to leave, Ashleigh had been oblivious to the girl lounging on top of the bookshelf, watching her.

Megan Stone was stretched out on top of the tall shelving unit. Laying on her stomach, the catgirl had put aside her geology book and watched the blonde girl. Reading over her shoulder, she noticed the reaction to the e-mail. Thoughts circled around in her head. She pondered the possibilities. Wait, she remembered there was a blind girl that roomed with… Sanguine, that bat-girl. Megan pondered what she had seen. If Hedgeworth was considering using a blind girl as leverage, the Richmond twins had certainly understated just how dangerous the girl was.

November 23rd, 2007
Berlin, New Hampshire

The thing that was once Joy Saundersen shambled along the back alleys, grabbing pigeons and rats that would stray too close. She was gaunt and sickly looking. Her dirty skin pale, with a diseased look to it. Stringy hair that was falling out hung from her scalp. The emotionless girl’s eyes were gazing absently forward. Her cloudy red eyes barely blinked. Biting into the live pigeon in her hand, she hung back in the shadows of the early morning.

She no longer thought about her actions, her mental faculties reduced to more of a primal animalistic state. Still, an image remained in her mind…

Joy sat in her room, banging her head on the padded walls. She had been in ARC for what seemed like forever, but in reality it had been only two and a half years. Thoughts came unbidden to her. Horrible thoughts. Officially, her diagnosis was Depression, PTSD, and severe schizophrenia. She was once a normal, happy girl...

But that was before the car crash.

August 8th, 2006
Methodist Hospital
Peoria, IL

Her sister sat beside her in the back seat of the Compact car, as their mother drove them to what was supposed to be a fun day at the circus. It was raining, and the roads were slick. A semi truck was approaching from the opposite direction, with its payload of lumber. Making a slight turn on the curved road, going too far into the opposite lane, and forcing the car off the road. Joy’s mother slammed on the brakes, but in the wet conditions, the small car skidded and hit the lumber truck, flipping over several times. Joy lay in the back seat, impaled through the stomach by a broken piece of wood. She reached down and pulled the jagged beam out, and then the blackness came.

Waking up in the hospital screaming, she struggled against the orderlies that held her in place. “Where are Mom and Sally?”, she screamed.

A man in a doctor’s scrubs came into view from off on the left somewhere. “Your mother and sister are in surgery right now. Things are touch-and-go right now. Our hospital was low on their blood type, fortunately you weren’t hurt in the accident. We had to transfuse them with your blood while you were unconscious, it’s a good thing you share their blood type.”

Joy’s focus snapped to what the doctor was saying. “Unhurt?” She looked down at her stomach. Underneath the hospital gown, no sign of her injury could be seen. “But the board went through my stomach…”

The doctor looked at her. “What did you say?” Taking a scalpel from a nearby nurse, he slowly and delicately made a small cut on her arm. At least he tried. The cut healed instantly, as he moved the scalpel across her skin.

Turning, the doctor yelled to a nurse. “Call up to the operating rooms! Do not use the blood we sent up!”

Of course, the warning went out too late. Mercifully, Sally only survived a few days. The regenerative cancers and sores consuming the girl rapidly, attacking every organ, and devouring her quickly. Their mother was not so fortunate, she lingered for almost a week, medicated with enough drugs to put a bull rhinoceros down. In the end the thing that was once Joy’s mother no longer even resembled a human being, rather an amorphous blob of oozing pus and decay that smelled like death.

In the end Joy’s family was dead. Spiraling into depression and PTSD, there was only one solution…  She was swiftly relocated to ARC. After all, what do you do with a mutant with a death wish that heals so fast they can’t commit suicide? One who’s repeated attempts grew more and more dangerous to the public?

She sat in her cell, day after day. No amount of counseling or therapy would reach her. As she slowly fell into ever-increasing mental illness, it was considered unlikely that she would ever recover.

Then the fateful day came…

Wallowing in her cell, she stared blankly at the walls. Her focus returned when she heard a click. Standing up, Joy stumbled across the room. Testing the door, she found it unlocked. One would normally say this surprised her, but in truth joy no longer felt surprise. In her condition, pumped with amounts of mood stabilizers that would kill anyone else, she no longer felt anything. Shambling out into the corridors, she saw a figure lurking ahead of her. Holding back, she stood quietly, observing.

Saturday, November 18, 2006
Arc, Black Section
High Security Prisoner Storage Vault

The tall figure kicked the unconscious security guard a second time in evident irritation. Turning away it ignored the coalescing figure that grotesquely mirrored the unconscious guard. After a moment the zombified guard shambled unsteadily away and down the hall on its mission.

“Damned Uncle Tom’s get what they deserve,” muttered the figure as tendrils weaved in the air and out from its chest. “Yes Frank I know… I’ve not forgotten.’ It whirled in sudden evident panic and screamed, “No-o! Frank! They got Frank! “Those dirty, stinking, pinko fairies! They got Frank! Hold on Buddy! I’m coming!”

Alarms were blaring as Joy silently made her way through the corridors, wandering without purpose. She had no real destination, and only a vague idea of trying to escape. Thus it was that she stumbled into the mystical artifact lock-up. She wandered past the various cases, uninterested… until she heard the voice in her head, the voice pleading for release.

The chaos afforded her the opportunity to grab the mysterious golden cuff that had spoken to her. Putting it on, she screamed in agony as spikes grew along the interior of the bracer. It felt like wires were burying themselves in her flesh, digging their way through her nervous system. Reaching her brain, they infiltrated it, severing her conscious mind from her. Joy felt an increasing fog growing as she found it harder and harder to think. Thus it was that the possessed body crept silently to freedom. There was no recognition of her surroundings. The shambling monstrosity escaped her prison, unnoticed as ARC staff and security were preoccupied with the battle going on outside their walls. With all focus on the fight between Maelstrom, and several young teenage girls.

Wandering the countryside, the monster felt nothing, thought nothing. There was no more pain, no more Joy… only Ambivalence.

November 23rd, 2007
The Gates of Whateley Academy.

Genevieve Hedgeworth stood at the gates of the school, it was early morning and she awaited her daughter’s arrival. Looking at the featureless statues on either side of the gate, she noticed when the heads turned to face her.

“Fascinating” she stated.

The fact that such high-level magical guardians were in place at the front gate truly impressed her, They might even be a challenge for her, if she ever decided to forcibly enter the campus. That was not her intention this day, however and seeing the Headmistress flying towards her seconded that thought.

As Carson landed she looked at the centuries-old sorceress, and frowned. “You know that you are not permitted on campus without prior clearance. I told you that last time you dropped in.”

Rolling her eyes, the powerful mage sighed before speaking. “I’m merely here to pick up my daughter for a day of shopping in this… quaint… little area.”

Carson glared but didn’t take the bait. “The sophisticated act won’t get you anywhere, I know of your history. Circe filled me in.”

“Ah, yes. How is my old friend?” The interloper questioned.

“I hardly think she thinks of you as an ‘old friend’ at all.” Carson said sternly. “I certainly don’t.”

“If you are referring to the little... misunderstanding back in 1944,  I’m sure Circe would let bygones be bygones. Ah, but speaking of World War Two… I notice that you don’t have a battleship with you this time.”

Carson smiled a cold, calculating smile. “No, this time I have something even better.”

Glancing around, the woman known as Evil Eye noticed that there were two teen girls that she had not noticed before. Looking at the crimson-haired Sidhe, and the strange girl with the spiky blue hair, she understood immediately. It was a show of power. “It’s a good thing that I have no hostile intentions. If you would be so kind as to call Ashleigh down, we would be off to do our shopping.”

Five tense minutes passed, before Asheigh Hedgeworth arrived. Looking at the tense stand-off between her mother and the Headmistress, she promptly walked over to the Rolls-Royce that had been rented for the outing.  Once in the vehicle, the mother and daughter pair quickly left the school behind.

Thirty minutes later, in front of Schuster Hall.

Rosalyn Dekkard stood and looked over the freshmen assembled before her. They were a unique mix, several stood out. The short girl with the wild hair and stripes that obviously had muscles under her jacket. The tall vampiric girl with the subtle elegance, and the bird-girl in the loose wrap drew her attention, although the blind girl with the dog was cute, in a plain way. The tall white haired girl seemed uncomfortable, and the lone boy hung close to her.

“My name is Rosalyn, but I’m known as Blackrose around campus. I’ll be your escort, ladies… and you too, I guess.” she said, looking at Downtrodden. “Ms. Fields should be here with the van shortly, in the meantime, you should introduce yourselves.”

Valentina DuMont stepped up, and Rosalyn watched as the slinky vampire girl sauntered over. She was exuding sexuality, whether she was trying or not. Rosalyn did a double-take and felt her heart rate rising. She took a second to calm herself as the girl’s low, sultry voice tantalized her ears. “I’m Valentina, but I go by Sanguine.” The sexy girl made Rosalyn shiver involuntarily just by speaking, She was so dangerously attractive that Rosalyn nearly missed the introductions of Raptor, UpBeat, Downtrodden, Saber, and the girl tentatively known as Sunshine.

Donna Feidler turned and looked at the kids in the back of the van. An unusual lot, with most standing out. Even the most normal looking of the girls had snow-white hair. They all had hoods and jackets and other things to disguise themselves, but they still stood out. “Okay. Here’s how it’ll go. Ms. Dekkard, I’ll drop you and the main group off at the mall, and take Ms. May and Ms. DuMont to the MCO office. After they are done there, I’ll drop them off at the mall to meet up with the rest of you. I plan on doing some shopping of my own. And I’ll pick you all up at the drop-off point at seven. Sound good?”

The students all agreed, even April’s dog barked, as if agreeing.

After dropping off the majority of the students at the Mall, the van hurried to the MCO office. April was scheduled for an appointment at 9:30, and they had fifteen minutes to spare. Pulling up at the entry, Valentina got out of the van, and helped her roommate step out of the large vehicle. Holly, the faithful service dog, dutifully took her place beside her mistress.

Donna Feidler looked at the two teen girls. “Are you sure you don’t want me coming along?”

The pale girl, Valentina, responded. “Nah, I’m sure this will be routine. Besides, Even the most corrupt MCO officer wouldn’t be stupid enough to attempt to kidnap or harm Whateley students that have an appointment.

Entering the building, the girls were almost immediately met by two tall men in black suits and sunglasses. “Excuse me, but your dog isn’t allowed in the building. You will have to leave.” one of the men said.

Valentina stepped closer to April, but the girl sensed her roommate’s movements and held her arm out, blocking the taller girl. “Actually” April said, as she reached into her coat pocket “Under state and federal law, it is illegal to bar a service animal from the premises, if they are wearing an identifying service animal harness, and the owner can produce papers showing the legitimate need of said animal.”

April held out the official papers, and Valentina watched carefully as the MCO agents looked them over. She happened to notice the look of irritation on both of their faces. “Something wrong?” she asked in a tone that clearly made it known that there would be no fucking around with her roommate.

The agents handed the papers back to April, and stood aside as Valentina led her over to the appointment desk. April took out the letter that had been sent to her, and presented it to the woman at the desk. “Hello, I’m here to register a correction of my code name, and get a new MID. Also, where can I lodge a complaint?” April asked.

The blonde woman looked up from the desk. “Certainly. I can help you with that. What seems to be the issue?” she asked politely.

April kept a neutral expression, as she responded. “My file should be noted that I’m blind, but the notice that was sent to me was not in Braille. I needed my friend here to read it to me. Any correspondence should be compliant with the rules set forth in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.”

The woman sighed. “I apologize. I’m afraid that our intern must have made a mistake and --”

Valentina cleared her throat. “If you were about to try to throw that girl with the green hair that delivered the letter under the bus, I suggest you rethink that. An intern wouldn’t be in the position to handle such an important communication, beyond the task of delivering it. Now I’ve heard that there are many good agents in this office, but likewise I’ve heard there are also those that are not so inviting to my kind. It’s my understanding that the girl you are trying to throw under the previously stated bus is close to the director of this office, and handles complaint forms from Whateley Academy. Now if you don’t want her to learn that you tried to blame this on her, I would suggest putting your prejudices aside, and actually do your job.”

The agent clearly took the threat seriously, as she nodded meekly. “N...now, as for the issue of your code name. It was a legitimate clerical error, and we can process you a new card. Since the name Sunshine is already in use, have you thought about a new name?”

April nodded vaguely in the direction of the woman’s voice. “If it’s not taken, I would like to go with Corona.”

April could hear the clacking of a computer keyboard as the woman probably was searching for said moniker. It was getting quite clear that she was getting annoyed by both her and Valentina’s presence.

“It appears that Corona is indeed available. I double checked this time. As for your MID, it says that You are an exemplar 2 and energizer 2, is that correct?”

“Yes, it is.” Corona responded.

“Here is your card”, the woman stated holding out the newly printed card.

April frowned. “Sanguine, if you would?”

“Of course,” the other girl replied as she took the card and looked over it. “everything appears correct.”

The two girls turned, and headed for the exit. After they made it outside, April sighed. “That was infuriating.”

Valentina gave a habitual nod, and responded. “Yeah, but you handled it much better than I would have.   If it had been me, I would have had to resist the urge to flash my fangs and ask ‘can we hurry it up, I’m getting hungry’…”

Both girls giggled, and got back into the van.

“Any problems?” Donna asked, as she started up the van.

April smiled. “Nothing we couldn’t take care of ourselves.”

Turning on the radio, Donna turned the station to a 1950’s music station. The two girls in the back rolled their eyes, as the driver started to tap her hands on the wheel. A few minutes later, they pulled into a parking spot at the mall. Donna headed off in her own direction, as April and Valentina wandered towards the food court.

The food court, near the Walmart entrance.

Valentina looked around, and saw the others gathered around a couple tables. She strolled up and sat down. “I bet you all want to know why I invited you here.” Looking at April and Rosalyn, she continued. “If you two want to go shop, we’re gonna just going to discuss some things and sit here for a bit.”

Rosalyn shook her head. “It might be boring stuff, but I’m not allowed to let you out of my sight. That’s what a chaperon does. I’ve heard some rumors about that nutcase Pin Cushion having it out for a number of you, so I know what you are about to discuss. Mutual alliances can be beneficial, and they give you a leg up for when you are required to do team combat next year.”

Sanguine looked at the senior girl. “You’re right, I was going to suggest that. Do you have any advice?”

With a sigh, Rosalyn spoke. “When I was a sophomore, I was recruited by some of the other Posies for a training team. They thought that my plant manifestation abilities would make me a good crowd control option. We weren’t the best group, but we did okay. But as time went on, things started to go bad. One of our team died after he took an awkward fall in BMA and broke his neck. That hit us hard, even worse was that he was dating our mage. They left school, opting to go back home. We limped on for a while without them, but the straw that broke the camel’s back was when our team’s leader… Janet… started to blame me for things going wrong. She hurt me, and when she decided at the end of the year to dissolve the team nobody objected.”

Everyone around the table looked down, sobered by Blackrose’s story. She noticed and hastily spoke up. “Oh, but don’t take my circumstances as a reason you shouldn’t stick up for each other, or work with each other. Everyone is different, and with the situation you are all in there is safety in numbers.”

Having said her peace, Rosalyn turned and busied herself with petting April’s dog. As April and Rosalyn occupied themselves with Holly, the others resumed their meeting.

It was Raptor that was next to speak. “I know we don’t know each other all that well, but I think this has some merit. I know Pin Cushion has been targeting the twins, I had a run-in with that idiot Springbuck, and I know Ratface has been following us around.”

UpBeat and Downtrodden looked at each other intensely, communicating the possible ramifications silently between themselves.

April turned her head towards the conversation. “I’m not really involved, but perhaps if you all share something about yourselves? Like your name and how you discovered you were a mutant. You know, bonding stuff? I’ll go first. I’m April, my codename is Corona. It’s kinda… embarrassing, but I manifested during my um… first time. Light flooded from my eyes. My… ex-boyfriend wasn’t blinded, but his eyes were damaged. He was two years older than me and was already being recruited by colleges for a basketball scholarship. He lost those opportunities and left town. I have no idea where he is now.”

Everyone paused for a second, and April smiled as she gave her dog a gentle petting. “It’s okay, I’m fine now.”

Everyone else looked at each other, all the while Rosalyn and April continued to play with Holly.

Raptor was the next to speak. “Okay, I guess I’ll go next. My name is Annalea, or Lea. My codename is Raptor. I grew up in a very sedentary household. I was severely overweight with asthma and diabetes. I started losing weight and my health improved, but then my avian features started to appear. I learned I was an avatar for an eagle spirit. I also learned my father was a mutant hating bigot, who had thrown acid in my aunt’s face and blinded her. He and my mother ran away and I moved in with my aunt. I didn’t see them until much later, when they returned as cyborg mutant-killers. My...my mother sacrificed herself to stop him, and now I live with my aunt.”

There was more silence among the group. Sanguine sighed, and started her story. “My name is Valentina, or Val… NOT Tina. My manifesting was also … rough. I started to feel a craving for blood, and my physical changes began, making me more and more monstrous. I lost the ability to speak, and eventually fled to the subway and sewer tunnels, where I sorta got a reputation as an urban legend, ‘the monster of Manhattan’, I might still be there, if not for a chance encounter. I met the woman I now consider my sister while she was being manhandled by a creep. That ended up in a shoot-out, I was shot several times, and in my confused state I attacked her. What I didn’t know then was she was a shapeshifter with high regeneration, and my consuming her blood caused a second mutation. I gained the ability to shift into this form. The scientists think that my subconscious influenced the change with pop-culture references like Morticia Addams, Lily Munster, and Elvira, among others.”

The twins looked at each other, as if they suspected there was more to the story, but neither said a word, respecting the girl’s privacy. It was Tori that spoke for them. “I’m Tori Richmond. Tori isn’t short for anything. Just Tori. Um, it’s hard to talk about when we manifested, but I’ll try. I remember waking up in the wreck of our car, after we were run off the road. I checked on my… brother, and pulled him from the wreckage. We couldn’t get to our parents, the… the…” Tori began to sob, and James placed his hand on her back, and rubbed gently.

James continued the story. “I woke up in a cabin in the woods with my sister. I had asked her about mom and dad, but she told me that the SUV had landed on its front end after going over the guard rail on the mountain pass. It was caved in, and she couldn’t reach our parents. That there was no way they could have survived. We spent the next week and a half there. I was in a lot of pain, as I’m sure Tori was, as well.”

Tori looked up and nodded. She was feeling a little better and picked up the story. “Our bodies were changing rapidly, and we were in too much pain to try to leave. Even if we managed to hike back to the road, there was no guarantee that there would be anyone along to rescue us. So we stayed put, surviving off the stores of canned food, and drinking melted snow. I’m pretty sure that if we hadn’t been in the middle of winter in an unheated cabin, we might have gone into burnout and died. Eventually the pain started to go away as we reached the end of the physical changes. Once I felt good enough, I used my exemplar strength to hike back to the base of the mountain. I discovered the search parties that had been searching for us, and led them to James… and then to the SUV.”

Tori’s strength once again left her, as she began to cry. Burying her face in her brother’s shoulder, she sobbed for a few minutes. Sensing the girl’s turmoil April’s dog, Holly, wandered over and brushed her head against Tori’s leg.

Saber looked at the other students gathered around. She was still shy, despite the remarkable changes she had undergone ever since she had manifested. Summoning up her courage, she swallowed hard, and started her tale. “My name is Megan, though I suppose you can call me Meg. I’m kinda shy… and because I’m small and like to keep to myself and read, I got bullied a lot. My mom is a curator at the LaBrea Tar Pits Museum. On a field trip one day several bullies threw me into a tar pit. I could have died, and while I was sinking into the tar, I encountered the spirit of the Smilodon, and began to manifest my sabertooth traits.”

Everyone looked at Megan. She was short, but even under her loose athletic clothes you could see the muscles of her well-toned physique. They kept their attention on her in wonderment as she opened her mouth impossibly wide to bite into her huge hamburger.

Eventually, James noticed that Valentina was sitting there, nursing a large bubbly water, as everyone ate. “Not going to eat anything?” He asked innocently.

She shook her head in response. “I’m unfortunately stuck with a very strict diet. I’m a hemovore. I can handle water and the occasional liquid dairy product, but that’s about it. My digestive system can’t handle regular foods. It’s fine though, my taste buds changed as well. Things like this cherry water are okay, but blood actually tastes good to me, and I can tell the differences between species and even blood types.”

Eventually things settled down and got more comfortable, although the occasional questions brought up uncomfortable truths. Valentina sighed when she mentioned that she had gone to look in on her mother, and had seen that she had a new baby and had moved on. When the subject of fathers came up, Megan was hesitant to mention hers, but she related just what a horrible man he had been, and everyone gathered around her to give her a hug.

Nearby, at the Starbucks in the food court.

Ashleigh Hedgeworth glared as she watched her enemies –  both current and likely future- bond. “Mother, Why did you drag me to this little hayseed town? We could have easily have gone to Boston or New York. I was hoping to hit Fifth avenue.”

“I sensed that something interesting was going to happen here, and it seems I’m right.” Genevieve responded dryly.

“You mean the loser squad over there? That’s hardly anything I need to be concerned about. My people and I will take care of them in due time.” the girl huffed.

“I’m sure you will, but that’s not what I’m talking about. I sense very old magic, and it’s approaching,” the senior Hedgeworth said, cryptically.

“Mother, could you stop with the ominous warnings, and myterious portents?” Ashleigh said as she scowled at the woman who gave her life.

“If you insist my dear, but only if you call me ‘mom’, you used to call me that all the time, but ever since you became a teenager, it’s ‘mother this’ and ‘mother that’…” Looking at her daughter, Genevieve couldn’t help but sigh.

“Perhaps I would, if you would be more honest with me. We celebrated your thirty-sixth birthday this spring, but I’ve been hearing stories around school about you fighting the head of the Mystical Arts department during World War Two. Also, there is the whole thing about you and the Headmistress getting in a fight, and you being shot by the Battleship New Jersey. That story has been floating out there a long time… but the ship was decommissioned in 1991. I can't believe you fought her when you were a teenager. If the stories about you fighting Circe are true, you are more likely at least 136 years old.”

With a chuckle Genevieve looked to her oldest daughter. “You are a couple thousand years off, but close enough.”

Ashleigh was confused. “What?”

Rolling her head, Genevieve’s evil eye quickly was revealed before the hair fell back over it. “We all have our little secrets, after all. Or did you think I didn’t know you were sneaking into your brother’s bedroom late at night?”

Ashleigh turned her head. “This isn’t about me. I was asking about you, mother. I’ve seen you kill girls in that creepy room with the symbols on the floor, you say you are over two thousand years old. I want answers!”

Genevieve laughed. It was fortunate that the coffee shop was empty, as heads would have turned otherwise. Looking around, she leaned in and started her tale. “I was about your age when it all began. Sold into marriage, I lost Your eldest sibling in childbirth. My husband was drunk and furious. After nearly beating me to death for my ‘failure’, I stabbed him to death, and crawled from the house. I would have died then and there, having lost so much blood. But that was when I met the demon Azazel.”

Ashleigh looked at her mother, skeptically.

Ignoring the eye-rolling, The elder Hedgeworth continued. “In exchange for a thousand years of servitude, he healed me and brought forth my dormant mutant powers, enhancing them while doing so.”

And for the next thousand years, I traveled the world in his service, doing his bidding. After he released me from his service, I continued my journey. I mingled with so many famous people, and witnessed so much of history. I was at the Sermon on the Mount, witnessed the black death as it spread across Europe. I saw the rise of the Catholic Church, and saw the Crusades. I shared a bedchamber with Napoleon as he planned his conquests, and predicted the persecution of religious minorities by Isabella the First and Ferdinand the Second.”

Ashleigh was astounded. “You slept with Napoleon?”

A smirk crossed Genevieve's face. “Napoleon, Beethoven, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Leonardo DeVinci, Henry the Eighth, Otto von Bismarck, there have been so many.”

Looking at her mother, Ashleigh stuttered. “Y...you said you were at the Sermon on the Mount. Don’t tell me that you and Jesus…”

Shaking her head, the senior Hedgeworth responded. “Don’t be ridiculous. I was only in the crowd. I never approached him. He would have been able to detect Azazel’s touch upon me.”

Sitting there and hearing her mother sounding so honest unnerved Ashleigh. She had questions still, but did not know what she should ask next.

Looking at her, her mother knew what was going through her mind. “I know you have so many questions, but I know there is one burning question at the forefront. “Your little sisters are the five hundred thirteenth and five hundred fourteenth children I have birthed. I loved each one, and I love you.”

Ashleigh swallowed hard, her mother was scaring her. “M...Mom…”

Leaning across the table, Genevieve took her daughter’s hand. “Don’t worry, I would never harm you. I never turned against any of my children, even when they opposed my goals… Some of my… descendants, though. Jean D’Arc was a real pain in my side. It took me quite a while to deal with her.”

“Mom, If you are this strong, why did you look so concerned when Carson brought Nikki Reilly and Billie Wilson out to join her?” Ashleigh asked nervously.

Looking at her daughter, Genevieve sighed. “While I was stronger than Carson years ago, She has had years to refine her craft. Additionally, It’s not just her magic that one has to worry about, it’s her connection to a powerful force. In my prime I would have had trouble with the Champion, but even though it was decades ago, I still haven’t fully recovered from my injuries during the last fight. If Carson were alone, I probably could hold my own… but those two… If I am correct about the redhead and her identity, she may have the potential be the strongest mage in the world, if given adequate training. The other girl scares me for different reasons. There is something about her. When you have lived as long as I have, you develop a sense about things, an ability to judge the energy all around you. And that girl could tear the world apart if given a reason.”

Office of the Headmistress
Whateley Academy

Elizabeth Carson Looked at the young women sitting in the chairs in front of her desk. “I thank you both for the help, I’m grateful that both of you happened to be on campus.”

Tennyo shrugged and sighed. “My family is away on CIA business, so I stayed here.”

Fey spoke next. “My dad was called away to Washington. Something about an incident in Idaho that needed follow-up.”

Elizabeth Carson raised her eyebrow, intrigued. She knew that Annalea Downs had stayed on campus, because her aunt was called to Washington on important business.

Nikki Reilly shifted in her chair. “We’re glad to help of course, but what exactly was going on? Who was that woman?”

With a dour expression, The headmistress interlaced her fingers and rested her chin on them. “That woman is Genevieve Hedgeworth, also known as Evil Eye. She is a powerful mage that specializes in dark magic and forbidden spell-craft. Circe encountered her during World War Two, that was the first time anyone associated with Whateley had to deal with her. I fought her once during the Vietnam war, over the South China Sea. She had me on the ropes, and I would have lost… if not for the timely intervention of the US Navy. She is rumored to no longer age, and she may possibly be several hundred years old. I’m telling you two this in confidence, since you both will most likely live for a long, long time, and may encounter her in the future.

Fey exhaled and thought deeply.

Seeing the girl’s apprehension, Carson continued. “Miss Reilly, she is rumored to have mentored Darrow early in his career. She must NEVER find out about the world tree sapling.”

Dismissing the students, Elizabeth Carson rubbed her temples and reached into her desk drawer for some ibuprofen. She got up and got some water, then looked out the window, uncertainly.

Starbucks Coffee
Berlin, NH

Ashleigh Hedgeworth watched the other students through the window. Turning away, she looked at her mother. “Why are you being so honest about all this? I thought you would hold back. After all, you always taught us that ‘if your secrets aren’t known, they can’t be used against you’… what changed?”

“That is true, however there are always exceptions. With your regeneration as high as it is, as well as being an exemplar, your aging will probably slow down by a considerable degree, so you will likely be around for several hundred years. Given that I don’t age, we will be together for a long time. Plus, I have a task for you, one that should benefit both of us in the long run.”

Ashleigh took a moment to absorb that revelation, but it brought another question to mind. “Do… Do I have any other siblings out there, ones I don’t know about?”

Genevieve sighed and looked sadly at her coffee. “You have an older brother, Emannuel. He was born in 1920, from a dalliance I had with a young writer named Francis Fitzgerald. Francis didn’t really love me, and he was soon engaged to a woman named Zelda. I left New York and returned to France before I knew I was pregnant.”

Ashleigh looked at her mother, noting the sad expression on her face. “Can I meet him?”

Idly stirring her drink, the elder Hedgeworth shook her head.“Emannuel is one of the few children I ever had who didn’t inherit the mutant gene. Despite that, I loved him very much. He followed his passion to teach and became a history teacher. He never married, never had children. In many ways immortality is a blessing, but in others, it’s a curse. As all my other children grew older, I would use magic to appear as if I were aging. And when I would reach the right ‘age’, I would fake my death and assume a new identity. To Emmanuel, I would be the ghost of a long dead woman. Not that he would remember me. Still, I visit him in the memory ward of the senior citizen facility whenever I can. He probably won’t be around for much longer.”

Lowering her head, Ashleigh concentrated on her coffee, remaining silent.

Across the food court.

Rosalyn looked up from the fashion magazine that had been holding all her attention, and spoke. “You know, if you are planning to stick together as a sort of… hmmm, mutual protection group, you might as well pick a name and consider making it an official thing. Next year you all will need to find training teams for the more combat-oriented classes. Why not get a leg up on it and get in some training together?”

Valentina put down her water and mused thoughtfully. “That does have merit. I’m in.”

Looking up from her plate of hamburgers, Megan paused and smiled. “Just so long as there are no cries of ‘Avengers Assemble’, I’m willing.”

The Richmond twins looked at each other and nodded silently to each other. Tori was the one to speak. “Sounds good, we’re in.”

Annalea was more succinct in her response. “Sounds good to me.”

With a sigh, April chimed in. “I can’t, for obvious reasons. I’m on the exempt list, anyhow.”

It was Valentina who spoke. “I think I speak for the rest of us when I say ‘You are one of us, no matter if you can fight or not. If anyone tries anything, let one of us know’… Agreed?”

All the others voiced their approval, then got up and walked over to April, gently wrapping her up in a gentle group hug.

After the hug broke up, and the other team members sat back down, Raptor was the one who asked the important question. “So, what do we call ourselves then?”

Rosalyn decided to interject her two cents worth. “You should pick something that resonates with you. However, learn a lesson from Team Kimba, if I were you all… everyone looks at them and asks ‘what the hell does that even mean?’…”

Valentina pondered this. “A name that is meaningful and descriptive, that fits us all. Hmm.”

Absentmindedly Annalea picked at the table surface, having inadvertently carved a groove in the tabletop. “We have all lost something important to us. I lost my parents. My Dad tried to kill me. My mom stopped him at the cost of her own life.”

Valentina nodded glumly “My mom moved on with her life after I literally became a blood-thirsty monster.”

Getting up, April walked over and began hugging her roommate from behind.

Tori took her brother’s hand and sadly replied. “We lost our parents in the car crash.”

Rocking in her chair, Megan was hesitant to speak. “I didn’t lose anyone, but I suppose I did lose my innocence. My mother kept my father’s identity from me. I don’t blame her for that. Finding out that he was a murderer who trafficked people, drugs, and weapons.”

“We’ve all been cast off by life… losing people we love, losing ourselves in some cases. It just sucks so very, very much” Tori said with a heavy sigh.

Valentina looked thoughtful, as she processed Tori’s words. “You know...‘Cast-offs’ seems appropriate, as far as a name goes. What does everyone else think?”

Everyone agreed, and the name was unanimously approved.

Looking around, Valentina commented on something she had observed. “Out of curiousity, did anyone happen to notice that Pin Cushion and her mother are over at the Starbucks?”

“They were there before we arrived, at least” came the nonchalant response from Saber. “I saw them there when we sat down, but I didn’t say anything because I figured that if I did, they would spot whomever else glanced over.”

Rosalyn looked up from her magazine. “It’s a public location, they wouldn’t be stupid enough to try anything, and there are too many potential witnesses. Let them be, and I’m sure they will do likewise.”

Meanwhile, across the food court.

“They spotted us.” Genevieve said as she glanced up from her coffee. She wasn’t concerned, knowing the school taught their students not to instigate anything in public… especially with the potential of security cameras and witnesses.

“Mot… Mom. Earlier you said you had a job for me?” Ashleigh looked at her mother nervously.

Smiling, the elder Hedgeworth reached over and touched her daughter’s cheek. “Don’t be afraid, It’s nothing dangerous. There is a girl that will be arriving during winter break that I’ve been… helping with some issues with her appearance. There is a final magical treatment she’ll need. However if she gets it before she arrives at the school, it might be used as a reason to prevent her from entering. Additionally, Since I’m not allowed on campus, the wards and mystical security would keep me out.”

“That’s why Dad always was the one to meet with the faculty in person, and why you had to pick me up at the gate? I never realized.” Ashleigh’s eyes widened at the revelation. 

“Yes,” her mother replied “If I were to try to cross the threshold into the campus, there would be some very dangerous results for me. But, back to the task. I need you to simply act as a courier, taking the final spell past the wards and guardians. It should be undetectable within you. You will know when and how to give it to her.”

“I accept.” Ashleigh said nervously.

Reaching over, the woman feared as the powerful black sorceress Evil Eye gently touched her daughter’s forehead.

Ashleigh felt a warm sensation as her mother touched her head, the sensation migrated from her forehead down to her sternum, and finally it settled deep within her. “I see” the girl responded, as she felt the knowledge of how to pass the energy on embed itself into her brain.

Meanwhile, roughly fifty yards away…

Rosalyn, April, Annalea, and Valentina sat at the tables, while Megan and the Twins went back to the Taco Hut for seconds. The court was filling with people, as they took a break from shopping to grab some lunch. While still a small food court with only four dining options, if you counted the Starbucks, it was still rather packed. Interrupting the cacophony of people ordering and mundane conversations, there was suddenly a loud crashing sound as the exterior glass doors shattered. Shambling into the mall came a very threatening and scary individual.

The students bolted from their seats, looking at the shambling girl that had smashed her way through the entry. Sanguine turned her head, pointing at the blind girl, she shouted orders “Blackrose, get her and her dog out of here, and call the school!”

The senior nodded. “Right! Come with me!” She instructed, taking Corona’s hand. “The rest of you follow me, don’t fight it. Get people out of here!”

Nearby.

Watching things unfold, Genevieve Hedgeworth smiled. “My dear, things are about to get interesting. Do you see the bronze-colored bracer on the girl’s arm? That’s what’s known as an armor mimic. It is said that long ago, before I was around, there was a great war with a monster known as the Bastard on one side, and the Humans, Sidhe, and others on the other side. In this great war, the Bastard had many skilled artisans and mages producing weapons for him. One such creation were the mimics. A sentient piece of armor, they are a parasite. They take over the wearer and use them as a host, consuming them. The fact that girl looks to be keeping pace with the damage inflicted to her body means that she must have regeneration greater than yours. A Mimic will bond to a host, sending tendrils into their body, manipulating it. As they control it, they slowly drain it of all nutrients and minerals. Nobody knows if the host’s consciousness remains, as they have no control over their body, and to the best of my knowledge, no telepath has ever been able to breech the parasite’s mental shielding.”

Ashleigh looked at her mother, then as the young heroes disobeyed their escort who was struggling to keep the blind girl from getting crushed in the mad rush for the exits  and rushed to fight the creature. All around them, people were fleeing from the food court and the walking paths, taking refuge in the stores.

“Mom… should we leave?” the girl asked nervously.

The millennia-old mage grinned. “I can protect us should anything happen. More importantly, you are being gifted a golden opportunity. As Sun Tzu once said, ‘Know the enemy and know yourself, and in a hundred battles you will never be in peril’, you have a chance to study your enemies and see how they work in battle. It’s a chance to get ahead of them, and plan… should they survive this fight, that is.”

Back in the food court.

Sanguine was shouting orders. “Saber, Upbeat. Get in close. Whatever she is or was, she doesn’t seem to be aware. Saber, you need to tank. Upbeat, distract the… zombie, or whatever. Get hits in when you can, but split it’s attention. Raptor, hit and run, claw and evade. If we can get it outside go airborne. Downtrodden, See if you can tire her out. If I go into beast form, I can’t speak. Raptor, take over if that happens.”

Charging in, Saber attacked from the left flank, grabbing the zombie-like girl with her claws. Simultaneously, UpBeat charged in on the right.  Saber was thrust backwards, as the girl raised her arm. The bronze-colored bracer shifted form, becoming a shield. Charging back at the girl, Saber grabbed the shield with her claws and pulled.

Noticing the clanging that occurred when Saber hit the shield, Upbeat urgently told her to “Switch sides.” 

With a nod, the cat-girl, jumped free and darted to the right, slashing at the zombified girl. Throwing her hardest punches, UpBeat stood her ground and absorbed the sound coming off the shield, increasing her strength with each blow.

Sanguine was next to join.  Shifting, she went in between the other girls and concentrated on tanking blows.

“She’s resisting my powers!’ cried Downtrodden. “It’s not working.”

“She has Regen!” UpBeat screamed to her two wing-girls. “Don’t bite her!”

Sure enough, the claw marks and scratches her foes had inflicted were disappearing rapidly. 

A short distance away.

Evil Eye looked to her daughter. “So, tell me about these kids, especially the twins.”

Pin Cushion paused as she watched the fight. Saber was flung across the food court, colliding with a support pillar.

Returning her gaze to her mother, she responded. “Well Tori, or as she calls herself UpBeat, is an exemplar. I think she’s a two. She also has some energizer trait that allows her to absorb vibrations and loud sounds. She seems to favor things with a lot of bass. My surveillance stooge suspects she and her brother may also have a telepathic link.”

She paused briefly as Sanguine crashed into the Starbucks window, causing it to fracture in a web of cracks, but still didn’t shatter.

“James is also an exemplar, and he is the only one in the group that has any sort of range. He appears to only be an exemplar one.  in addition to the mind link, he can cause mental fatigue. He has an energizer ability that causes physical fatigue. He calls himself Downtrodden.” She said as she continued, still slightly shaken.

Behind her, the mimic had reshaped from a shield into a lance. Raptor had narrowly dodged, but Saber wasn’t as lucky, having been speared through the right shoulder.

“Bird girl is … I don’t remember her name. She calls herself Raptor. Exemplar two, I think? Avatar. She got in my way when I was fighting Tori Richmond, she grabbed me by the head and threatened me.”

Saber hid behind a pillar, her regeneration was slowly mending her smaller cuts and bruises. The gash on her arm had stopped bleeding, but was still fairly big. Downtrodden was on one knee, and had his hand pointing out towards the target.

Sanguine jumped in and started slashing.

Taking notice, Ashleigh continued speaking. “Vampire girl is Called Sanguine, I tried to recruit her. Instead she squealed to the Richmonds. She’s really creepy. Drinks blood, but I heard she’s not a real vampire. Exemplar three, I think. Gets stronger when she shifts into that bat form. Another regenerator, stronger in that form. Not as strong as my regen though.”

There was a loud crash, as Sanguine was thrown against the ceiling, and then crashed to the floor. She stood up, swayed, and then fell flat. UpBeat threw tables at the enemy, as she scooped up the fallen girl and retreated. Dropping her behind the pillar that Saber had hidden behind, she turned and ran back into the fray.

“Saber is the catgirl. Avatar, probably. Also an exemplar, I think she’s the strongest one on the team, without any boosts or alternate forms. More regen. I don’t know why she threw in with these losers..” Pin Cushion rolled her eyes after speaking.

Evil Eye smiled wickedly. “So, your analysis based on what you are seeing?”

Ashleigh paused. “Losers.”

“How descriptive.” her mother said sarcastically. “More precise evaluation?”

“Well, they have overlapping powers. Lack of ranged attacks. Too much redundancy, not enough variety.”

Her mother nodded approvingly. “Very good. I agree with your assessment. Keep this in mind when you fight them. Try to recruit some members that exploit these weaknesses.”

“Why? They are clearly done for.” Pin Cushion responded.

“Don’t count your chickens, as they say. You are forgetting that the girl that was their chaperon has had time to call the school. Three of them are still on their feet, even if they are injured. Overconfidence can easily lead to defeat.” Her mother scolded.

UpBeat tackled the foe, as Raptor clawed out her eyes. Hobbling, Saber crept behind and got the foe into a half-nelson. As the enemy’s eyes regrew, the mimic parasite coated its host, providing a slippery hardened shell. Slipping free, she threw Saber loose, and kicked out at UpBeat. Getting loose, it shambled backwards, opening a gap between them.

Saber stood up, only to discover her knee was dislocated, and she fell back down. Darting forward, gliding through the food court, Raptor impacted with the armored hostile. She knocked them back out through the broken exterior. Jumping backwards, she narrowly avoided a swipe by the Mimic’s newly manifested bladed fists. She took off into the air, distracting the enemy. UpBeat ran out through the broken doors and picked up glass shards, tossing them towards her adversary. The distractions worked, allowing a limping Saber to attack from behind. She got the armored girl into a sleeper hold, while wrapping her legs around the monster for support.

The girl struggled and rolled backwards. Losing her grip, Saber fell off to the side. Upbeat rushed in, and punched the armored figure in the chest. Reaching backwards, the girl grabbed Saber and threw her upward, causing her to collide with Raptor. The two girls landed hard, with Raptor landing on Saber and rolling off. Both girls lay there not moving. UpBeat stood alone, everyone else was unconscious or otherwise incapacitated.

Evil Eye looked at the girl, she was clearly struggling. With every movement, every flex and twist. “She’s clearly at her upper limit for kinetic energy absorbed. You can see the pain when she moves. I wouldn’t have picked her as the last one standing. Still, she probably won’t last all that much longer.”

UpBeat stumbled, she had nothing left. She would die there and then. The enemy loomed over her, clawed gauntlets raised, ready to strike down and end her life. She closed her eyes, expecting a fatal blow that never came, instead there was a loud thump and rush of wind. Looking up, she saw the zombified girl laying across the parking lot, a silvery man stood over her. Overjoyed, Tori mumbled. “It’s the Silver Surfer. We’re safe.” Then she collapsed to the ground, totally spent.

Langley Paulson gently scooped up the girl and carried her over to where the other students had been gathered. The silver armor-clad technology teacher turned and returned to the battle. Elyza Grimes cast healing on the girl as Caduceus dealt with the others.

Running back to the battle Paulson joined Liz Carson and Lillian Dennon in dealing with the strange armored girl. The instructors made quick work of the girl, binding her and calling ARC for pick up.

Turning and glaring at Evil Eye, Carson approached the Starbucks. The Elder Hedgeworth sat still, looking calm and collected. “Elisabeth.” she calculatedly stated. “Glad to see you arrived so quickly. I don’t think your students would have survived if they had had to go much longer.”

Frowning, Carson replied. “You are lucky that nobody died. You easily could have contained the Mimic, without the damage and potential for injury and loss of life.”

With a sly smirk, the older sorceress replied. “We both know that wouldn’t have ever happened.”

Crossing her arms, Lady Astarte frowned. “If I find out that you are in any way responsible for this, I will make it my business to make sure you are punished severely.”

Raising her hand and holding it out in front of her, Evil Eye invoked a sorcerer’s oath. “I do swear by the law of Soloman that I had no part in the creation of this Mimic, the bonding of it to this girl, or any part of it being here. It was long ago, but I grew up in a village smaller than this charming little hamlet. I came here for… nostalgia, it’s not often that I get to enjoy a quiet day in the country. That being said, It’s time my daughter and I left. We have shopping plans in Boston. I will have her back to the campus Sunday night.”

After several minutes, a very unhappy Blackrose and Corona joined the assembly. April stood still, her guide dog whimpering, the poor animal scared by the unnatural scent of the mimic.

The injured students were gently loaded into the van, and driven back to the school.

Doyle Medical Center,
Whateley Academy.
The next day

The Richmond twins lay in their beds, talking to each other telepathically. The other members of their make-shift team had all been released, under the stipulation that they take the weekend to relax and not strain themselves.

“I heard that Mrs. Hedgeworth swore a magical oath that she wasn’t responsible for this fight. Still, We have to face the truth that they want us dead. We’ve been too lax. We’ve been lucky, If they were to find out our secret…” James warned.

Tori sighed over their mental link. “We can’t that happen. No matter what. We have to train harder. We have to get smarter.”

 

NOT the END