DISCLAIMER: I don't own Twilight of Sky High. They both belong to their rightful owners.

ISABELLA SWAN: THE MANIPULATOR

Summary: Isabella Swan is Will Stronghold's cousin and adopted sister. She was adopted by the Strongholds when her parents passed away the day she turned ten. She hid her powers from everyone and that caused her to be sorted into Hero Support. She knows how dangerous her powers could be if people finds out what it is so she seeks the help of a fellow student of Sky High, Edward Warren Peace, who also seemed to be struggling with controlling his power, to find out a way to control it. Together, they build a new history of Sky High.

PROLOGUE

-In The Present-

I carried my tray of food—an apple, some kind of soup and a bottle of juice—from the counter and followed Layla and some others as they searched for a vacant table. Normally, I'd go for something that could satisfy my hungry stomach. But today's events were, in lack for a better word, depressing. So my appetite wasn't really in the mood to celebrate.

I still don't know what my power is or if I even have a power. And I'm the next one to be tested right after lunch!

As I sat down, I spotted my dear cousin sitting with an unknown boy. I dropped my spoon, and the soup splattered and stained my shirt. Everybody in my table looked at me like I was insane but I couldn't care less. All I need to know is who the hell she's sitting with? I mean, she doesn't mention anyone from school ever since her freshman year, and she's a Junior now. She kept this from us for two years. Two years.

"Who's he?" I asked, pointing my index finger to their direction. She still hasn't noticed me, but I know she's aware that people were looking at them.

Layla turned to look in the direction I pointed, and her eyes flickered with recognition. But that soon turned into confusion as she saw her with him. "That's Peace. Edward Warren Peace," she whispered, taking a bite of her pie. She's probably wondering why she's with him.

"His father's also a renowned villain and was captured by your dad," the Popsicle boy, Ethan, helpfully added.

"Yeah. Now that Popsicle here mentioned it, why is your sister sitting with him?" Zach asked, looking at her with admiring eyes. I can even see a little bit him glowing. Well, a little bit. I kind of figured he likes her.

I rolled my eyes at the expression on his face and looked back to my cousin, who was now smiling at the guy named Peace. My eyes narrowed at them and said, "Technically, she's not my sister. She's my cousin from my father's side. But her parents were killed in a mission so my family kind of adopted her," I said with distaste. Then I saw the look on their faces. "Don't get me wrong, we treat her like family. It just so happen that she doesn't appreciate that."

I meant to say all those things as casually as I can, but I guess they noticed how I dislike my cousin. I don't hate her, if that's what you're wondering. She's okay sometimes, even fun to be with actually. But she doesn't like staying with us at home. That's why she's always out somewhere out there. She doesn't think it was our business to know where she's been.

Dad made it a habit to ask her some things, seeing that she's also his best friend's one and only daughter. He wants to stand as a parent to her because he somehow knows how it feels to have no one. But she doesn't like it. She hates it when my parents ask her some things like a normal parent would, and she would accuse them of invading her privacy. She often stays in her room when she's home and the only time I see her is when it's time to eat.

She has no problem with me personally. But when it comes to my parents, well, let's say we don't get along that well then. There are times that I honestly think she likes to talk to me. She doesn't really hold back the things she says when she's with me, but she's rarely at home. Sometimes, she doesn't come home but we never question where she's been because that'll only make her pull away from us.

"Hey, Stronghold!" a voice suddenly invaded my thoughts and I slightly shook my head from the memories and thoughts that mingled together. "What's her name again?" the girl beside Zach asked. I temporarily forgot the girl's name but I'm sure I'll find out again later. The only thing I know about her is that she can turn into a guinea pig.

"Isabella Stronghold-Swan," I answered automatically. It's what I always say when people ask me that question. Believe me when I say that almost everyone who has seen me with her asks that question. It's either they wanted a name to the face of their new crush or a name to the face of their new enemy. In this case, I guess they just want to know.

"Wow. The Chief Swan? Her father is The Chief? Charles Swan? He's a freaking legend! What is it with you and your family? You guys are famous!" Ethan exclaimed with new profound happiness. "Wait let me guess who her mom is. Renata Stronghold?" he asked and I shook my head. "Oh yeah, she's long dead. Wait, I can almost—yes! It's Renee Stronghold isn't it?" he asked excitedly and I just nodded. "Renee Stronghold and Charles Swan, they were famous before your father pal. Too bad they're gone."

"But you know freshman...it seems like their daughter didn't get either of their powers, the loser is placed in hero support," someone added out of nowhere. Everyone in my table were taken by surprise by the sudden voice and looked around for the source.

"Who said that?" Ethan asked, frantically looking around. His glasses were suddenly taken off from him and is now floating in mid air. "Hey give it back!" he shouted, trying to feel around for his glasses.

"Trouble with your eyesight, Four-Eyes?" the voice mockingly appeared again, but this time there's a face that matches it. The girl has very curly, dark brown hair that were showing red highlights when the light was reflecting it, and her shallow blue eyes were filled with a scorning tint of wickedness, which was not at all surprising. She's wearing a short, skimpy cheerleader outfit which matches the other girls that suddenly appeared beside her.

"Jessica, leave them alone," a familiar voice came to our rescue. I look behind the girl named Jessica and saw my cousin standing there with her arms crossed and her eyes narrowed.

The girl turned around slowly and pushed Isabella back. "What you gonna do then, Swan? Oh right, you can't do anything! Sidekick!" Jessica laughed as though she said the funniest joke of the year, and not surprisingly, her friends laughed along with her with the same shallow tone.

"Watch your mouth," a hard voice came from behind them. Isabella didn't bother to turn around to see who it was. But Jessica and her crew backed away at once and disappeared into thin air as did the others. Ethan didn't even noticed that he's gawking until the guinea pig girl beside him closed his mouth.

I was sort of waiting for her to look at me but she didn't. Peace already took her hand gently with his, an act I somehow found intimate and so I took note of asking her about that when I get to talk to her. "We better get back to class," she whispered to Peace. I sourly thought of the name as I did before.

I was taken aback when she suddenly turned to me and said, "Good luck." Then she walked away hand-in-hand with Edward Warren Peace.

~:~:~

I am dead. I am so dead. Now I know what Isabella's warning is for. Hero support? What would dad think when his only son turns out to have no powers at all. I know mom would accept it no matter what. But I do know she'll be disappointed. They'll both be disappointed. Oh god, I'm so dead.

I entered the kitchen to get some water when I heard it. "Heard you're also hero support," Isabella whispered from behind. I rolled my eyes when she stressed on the word 'also' so I won't feel bad about not having any powers. Now that I think of it.

"What did you do when you found out that you don't have any powers?" I asked as I lifted myself up and sat on the kitchen counter.

She laughed and I looked at her with narrowed eyes. "You shouldn't listen to people like Jessica, you know," she said as she propped herself up on the table opposite to where I'm sitting. "People like her would always misinform you," she added as she grabbed an apple from the basket and took a bite on it. Her other hand reached out again and grabbed another one and threw it towards me.

I caught it, but placed it on the space beside me. "You mean, you have a power?" I asked, surprised at the sudden revelation. We both never talked about this kind of thing and it shocked me to find out that what the cheerleaders were saying were not true. "Well...wha-what's yours?" I asked, and I furrowed my brows when I heard that my voice was trembling.

"Can't really say and I surely can't let you see it," she whispered, zoning off a little but snapping out of it when she realized I'm still listening to her. She stared at me as though she's debating on just telling me or not.

"You know, I sort of trust you. But there's something in you—your subconscious, I suppose—that betrays my trust. You sometimes don't filter your thoughts especially when you're feeling an extreme emotion. And that cause you to blabber about things that you weren't suppose to be saying. Anyways, I'll just tell you what my power is in time with yours. That would be soon, mind you."

I hate it when she says things like that. She just can't get to the point. Those cryptic remarks she makes always get to me. But as time passed, I learned not to complain.

"What did you do in the sorting?" I asked, looking at the white-tiled floor, trying not to think about my embarrassing day. I looked up only to see her looking out the small kitchen window above the sink. There were bright orange colored flowers. I have no doubt that it was Layla's doing. She has a habit of reviving dead plants that my mom forgets to water. Now that I brought it up, I think Mom leaves it like that on purpose.

Isabella turned to me and gave me a smile that always means that she's amused. "I didn't do anything. Honestly, I don't mind to be sorted in hero-support. To me that sorting thing is just a waste of time. I mean—"

"Yes, I understand. Layla thinks it's a waste of time too," I continued for her to avoid another round of that venting I already got from Layla. I rolled my eyes and froze when I noticed something on her hand. "So...you and Peace, cousin?" I asked curiously as I stared at the small fire drawing on her wrist. She pulled it away from my sight immediately as soon as the words were out of my mouth.

I waited but she just shrugged, jumped off the table, and walked away without saying another word.

.

.

.

A/N: This idea has been staying in my head for far too long. I just have to release it. I'm not entirely sure if I should continue this or not so I leave the decision to you guys.