(a/n: I don't own the mighty ducks 1, 2, 3, or any others they have come
up with = disclaimer. I don't know if its any good, but I kinda like it,
sorta, but who cares about what I think! I want to know what you think . .
. you lovely reviewers who I know are reviewing . . . right?!?! Well I
hope you like it, and review. I know the sibling thing has kind of been
done, but I'm proud of this. So I hope you enjoy. You'll find out why
it's called sketch later. Love and everything, Fyre Eye)
Sketch
Artemis Banks sighed uncomfortably in the limo, which she currently sat in. She was 100% frustrated with her parents, with her life, with everything. Magically out of no where, her mother decided that she's a burden, so she just sent Artemis off, as if she was a soulless, feeling less, rag doll. Ever since her parents got divorced, and her mother re-married, she'd been treated as a burden, which truly hurt Artemis.
Her biological father was rich (hence the limo) and he paid to send Artemis to the school where her twin brother attended, just because he didn't want to deal with her either. Kenny, the man her mother re-married, claimed Artemis a waste of space and a waste of money, so she was just cast away. Kenny was abusive towards Artemis mentally and physically, so she was relieved to leave him but she worried for her mother. She never believed Artemis, when her daughter tried to tell her, but now she was with him alone, and Kenny had no one else to release his frustration on.
Artemis hadn't seen Helios for a while, and was actually excited to see him. Their mother was going through a rather weird stage at the time of her twins' birth, and she named them both after a mythological god and goddess. Helios, meaning god of the sun, was born at dawn, and Artemis, which meant goddess of the moon, just a few minutes earlier, under the full moon.
"Miss Artemis, we've arrived." Said the limo driver, Artemis didn't catch his name, but she nodded stiffly, and gathered her backpack, ice skates, suitcase, and drawing pad in her arms without word. The limo stopped without so much as another remark spoken by either, and the chauffer opened the door for Artemis, who just nodded once at him, and headed away. She was naturally quiet and modest, and wasn't known for being overly outgoing.
She didn't expect Helios to show, and he hadn't. Artemis would've had a heart attack if he had even known that she was coming at all. She walked quickly to the dean's office and sat in a waiting room. The secretary, an older African American woman smiled softly at Artemis. "Whatcha here for, honey?" She asked kindly, smiling.
"I've just been enrolled, I was told to come here ma'am." Artemis replied both quietly and politely.
"Don't ma'am me, honey. I'm not **that** old." The woman replied, smiling again. "Well, you can call me Mrs. Wise, because that's my name. You go right on in."
"Thank you ma'a—Mrs. Wise." Artemis caught herself just in time and walked thru the door labeled 'Dean's Office.' The dean was a threatening looking man, with white hair, and a receding hairline. He grimaced when the girl walked in.
"What have you done?" The dean asked harshly and sat behind his desk, grabbing files from his drawers. "And state your name, you haven't been here before."
"That's because I've just enrolled. I was supposed to come here to receive my schedule and dorm number. My name is Artemis Lana Janine Banks." Artemis replied.
"Thank God. I'm sick enough of calling people's parents. Welcome to Eden Hall. I'm sure that you'll fit right in. Yes! Here are your things. Well, go along and get situated, there aren't any classes on Saturdays. Well off you go. Have a nice day." The dean said quickly and practically shoved Artemis out the door.
"Well, goodbye Mrs. Wise." Artemis said with a slight wave and quickly headed out the door, still carrying her things.
Artemis bit her lip looking at one of the papers that the dean had handed her. It said her dorm was number 1256, but she couldn't find it for her life. She was walking quickly, now that she was in a hallway with virtually no dorms in it, and she accidentally ran into someone. Her drawings spread out from her sketchbook. "No!" She cried and hurried to gather all of her things. The guy she ran into knelt down and began to pick up the pictures, but he stopped upon actually seeing one of them.
"Wow, these are excellent." He said, examining a few of them. He looked Asian, but he had a Californian mixed in with his Asian accent. He was a bit taller than her and he had shoulder length ebony hair, and dark chocolate coloured eyes.
"Thank you." Artemis whispered back and began to pick the rest of her pictures up. "Do you know where room twelve-fifty-six is?" She asked him, praying he did.
"Yeah, two of my friends bunk there. You must be their new roommate. They're great. Their names are Connie Moreau and Julie Gaffni." The Asian boy replied with a smile.
"But what is your name?" Artemis asked back. "I'm Artemis."
"Artemis?" He asked, and she nodded. "Cool. My name's Kenneth Wu, but everyone calls me Kenny or Ken." He answered.
Artemis cocked a brow at him. "I've heard that name before."
Ken shrugged. "A few years back I was in the Olympics, and then I was on the Mighty Ducks, the group that got first in hockey."
Artemis' eyes widened. "Oh! Then you know my brother. Helios!" Artemis grinned. "He was on the Mighty Ducks as well!"
"Helios?" Ken asked skeptically. "Sorry, I don't know a Helios, sorry." Artemis bit her lip again, tears welling at the bottom of her eyes. "Does he have a nickname?" Ken asked quickly. Artemis shook her head but then shrugged. "Does he go here?" He asked. Artemis nodded. "Well, then let's gather the ducks. You get to find your brother, and I can make fun of someone about the name Helios."
Artemis smiled and nodded back. "Come on!" He held out a hand to her, after she was positive that she had all of her pictures. She eyed his hand cautiously at first, but then she took it, and she let him lead her toward what she guessed was her dorm.
She was right.
(a/n: long paragraph, wasn't it?) Artemis smiled when they got to dorm 1256 without further incident, though she was still holding Ken's hand, almost unknowingly, and ignoring the slight tingling feeling in the pit of her stomach. "Here you go, Artemis." He smirked. She smiled slightly back, and she walked in, Kenny on her heels.
"Yo! Cons! Jules! Roomy here!" Kenny called, grinning.
"Go away Kenny, don't you know how to knock?!" Julie called back, but Connie seemed to actually listen to what he said, and she emerged from an adjoining room.
"Roomy?" She asked skeptically, and then she saw Artemis, and called out for Julie. "Hi!" She smiled brightly. "I'm Connie, and I'm quite sure anything and everything that Kenny said about me is a lie. Nice to meet you. You can take that bed." She pointed to the bed next to the window, and Julie, or who Artemis guessed was Julie walked into the room.
"Hi, I'm Julie. Who're you?" Julie asked Artemis, ignoring Kenny.
"I'm Artemis."
"She says her brother's a Mighty Duck, but his name is Helios." Kenny added in. Connie and Julie looked at each other. "Yeah, I told her that there isn't a Mighty Duck named Helios, but I'm guessing he has a nickname." Kenny added and Julie and Connie nodded at that. It made sense.
"Well let's go!" Julie said, getting straight to business as usual, but not before noticing Kenny and Artemis holding hands. She smiled mischievously, and led the way. "Don't even leave your skates." She added to Artemis, as she was about to put them down. "We're going to the rink." Artemis shrugged, and pulled her skates back on her shoulder.
"Come on Goldberg! You coulda blocked that one!" Charlie Conway laughed to Greg Goldberg, who just rolled his eyes in exasperation.
"You be goalie then Charlie." Goldberg answered and rolled his eyes.
"Duck alert." Guy Germaine said, motioning to the group of three and Artemis.
"Come on Luis, stop, you've done it before." Adam Banks laughed from across the rink at Luis Mendoza, who was having problems with something he thought he'd resolved for good.
"Shut up Adam." Luis groaned as he fell. "Just shut up!"
"What?" Adam asked innocently, helping Luis up. "Come on Luis, looks like something's happening. Do you think you can managed to stop over there?" He asked, and skated away from Luis before the Spanish teen could react.
"I'm gonna kill you Banks." Luis threatened and sped after his friend.
"Guys, stop it." Charlie spoke to Luis and Adam who quickly did as they were told. Something was up. "Julie and Connie want you to meet their new roommate."
Artemis stepped forward and opened her mouth, but then she closed it upon seeing Adam. "Ohmigod! Helios!" She shrieked and launched herself at Adam, who twirled her around hugging her, laughing.
"What are you doing here Art?" Adam asked.
"Well, Kenny started beating me up, so Mom sent me to Dad, but Dad didn't want me either so, ta da, here I am." Artemis answered softly, and rather sarcastically at the same time. A few of the other Ducks there looked at Kenny Wu with a little shock and confusion in their expressions. Artemis noticed that and continued. "And while I was hopelessly searching for my dorm, I ran into Ken, here, and he rescued me from total nervous breakdown. And then I told them that my brother was on the Mighty Ducks, and when I told him that my brother's name was Helios he said there wasn't a Helios on the team. I must admit I'm confused."
Then a large amount of laughing interrupted her. "He-Helios?" Luis asked, doubling over, laughing hysterically. "You're real name . . . is Helios?!"
Artemis walked up to Luis though she was still in her sneakers on the ice. She pushed him, a little roughly, and because he wasn't expecting it, he fell. "Yeah and is there a problem with that?" She asked him dangerously. Adam, or Helios, pulled her away from Luis.
"Yo Art, calm down." Adam warned. "He didn't mean anything, okay."
Artemis brightened after a moment, and held out a hand to help Luis up, which he took after a slight hesitation. "Sorry about that. I just reacted. My stepfather made fun of my and Helios's names, and I just . . . well, sorry."
"S'okay." Luis answered, and snickered again at the thought of Adam's real name.
"That's why I go by my middle name. My whole name is: Helios Adam Bryan Banks." Adam explained. "And this is my twin sister, Artemis Lana Janine Banks, I call her Art for short, though." Then he turned his attention to his sister. "Sorry 'bout Kenny, but I always knew that he was bad news." Artemis nodded in agreement.
"People, can we please stop calling him Kenny, he's ruining my good name." Ken joked. Adam and Artemis nodded in agreement.
"Thanks for saving Art from total mental nervous breakdown. She can use every once of brain power she can get." And skated just enough out so that Art couldn't follow without putting her skates on. Helpless on that level, she just stuck her tongue out at him, and Adam laughed.
"Somebody that can get out there, go beat him up." Artemis mumbled, causing a bunch of the other ducks there to grin.
"You play hockey?" Charlie asked with interest, eyeing her skates. Artemis laughed.
"Me?" She asked, still laughing softly. "With . . . uh . . . **my** stepfather?" Adam skated back to the group, now that Artemis didn't look like she was going to kill him.
"Why is it bad to have her stepfather and hockey mixing?" Connie asked.
"Kenny?" Adam asked, and then smiled apologetically at Ken. "He, not you Ken, was a total jerk. He said women shouldn't and can't play hockey. He said they should just cook and clean, because that's all they're good for." Adam answered frowning. "He should meet you too." He indicated Julie and Connie, who both wore angry and offended looks, while Artemis was still laughing.
Artemis calmed herself. "Well, I mainly figure skate, and I play almost a million musical instruments. I dance, too, and I fight. Tae Kwon Do lessons. Black belt, thank you. Though my stepfather doesn't know." Artemis grinned. "I like having friends in high places. But who wouldn't?"
"Multi-talented?" Charlie asked, amazed. "Well, let me know if you ever wanna play hockey. We'd love to have you on the team."
"Speaking of the team, where is everybody else?" Julie asked, looking around.
"Well, Portman's around somewhere, probably babe-watching with Fulton. Why? Jealous?" Guy asked, laughing.
"Shove it Germaine. Connie, I'm sorry to inform you, but if your boyfriend doesn't shut up and get over the fact that I don't like Dean, he shall become . . . let's put it nicely. De-balled." Julie grinned. Guy backed away from Julie as quickly as he could, and all of the guys around Julie shifted nervously. Connie laughed for a moment before realizing that Julie was quite serious.
"You have nice friends, uh, Adam is it?" Artemis said wryly. Adam shrugged and nodded.
Kenny tuned serious. "At least don't tell the Varsity his real name. They'd be worse than usual." Everyone there (not counting Artemis) nodded in agreement. "And they suck as it is."
Artemis grinned. "Project." She whispered and rubbed her hands together, a plan already forming in her head.
Artemis propped her back against the edge of Connie's bed, as Connie brushed Artemis's sandy brown hair, styling it randomly, and just having fun. "Artemis, why don't you change into pajamas, it would be easier. The hood on your shirt keeps getting in the way.
"I'd rather not, if that's okay." Artemis said, her eyes shifting nervously.
"Come on, Artemis, what's up? You can trust us. We're your roomies, and we promise, we won't tell," Julie stifled a giggle as she continued, "Helios."
"Fine. I'll be right back." Artemis got up and pulled her pajamas out of her bag and went into their inset half-bathroom to change. She came back in a spaghetti strap light blue shirt, and a pair of purple and black silk boxers. But that really wasn't the problem. She had horrible bruises and scars and opened wounds. Some didn't look healed at all. It looked like someone had attacked her with a very sharp knife.
"And remember, you said you wouldn't tell my brother." Artemis said in reminder, as they gawked.
"Okay, I expected a tattoo. Never this." Julie replied, horrorstruck. "We have to tell Adam, and the others, and the police while we're at it. This isn't just being beaten up. This is serious **serious** abuse, Artemis. I'm surprised you even lived through that. It looks gruesome."
Artemis refused to look either of them in the eyes. "You said that I could trust you." She said, her voice full of hurt, but neither of the other girl's opinions wavered. "Please. Don't tell. I can take care of myself. Just don't tell them. They'll treat me differently. They'll treat me like a freak. Everyone else has."
Connie looked at Artemis, and was surprised to find tears streaking down her cheeks. She motioned for Artemis to come sit beside her and Artemis obliged. Connie began running her fingers through Artemis's hair soothingly. "Oh, Artemis, none of the guys would ever do that. And if they do, I'll have Julie de-ball them." Connie smiled softly, and relaxed some when Artemis let out a small giggle.
It kind of frightened Julie though. Artemis had to be at least her age, or a bit older, and she acted so timid, like someone much younger, and she was just so unsure of herself and her standing in life. She took a hint from Connie though. "Yeah, I'll even de-ball Dean if he so much as looks at you funny."
"Which says a lot, 'cause she likes him." Connie added innocently, and smirked at a glare that Julie sent her. Artemis nodded.
"All right, I guess. If you're sure that they won't treat me like a freak." Artemis said, sighing.
"No problem there. Though they all might want to beat your stepfather to death." Connie said thoughtfully. Artemis shrugged. "Jules, go ahead and tell the guys to get their arses over here. All of them."
"Yes ma'am, right away ma'am." Julie saluted and headed away towards the phone in their room. (a/n: each dorm comes equip with one . . . picture a hotel =))
"They're on their way." Julie said, upon returning a little bit later.
Artemis wrapped herself in a blanket, not wanting them to see her until absolutely necessary. "Did you tell them any details?" Artemis asked Julie, who shook her head. "Good. At least I'll be treated normal for a little while." Connie looked at Julie and shrugged helplessly, and Julie returned the gesture.
Dwayne Robertson, Guy, Les Averman, and Charlie arrived together, first, and Dwayne, Averman, and Artemis were introduced. Artemis just spoke a greeting to them, still hiding under her blanket. They talked a few minutes before Goldberg, Adam, Fulton Reed, and Portman arrived. Russ Tyler, Luis, and Ken were the last, Ken's hair was still wet from a shower, and a towel was draped over his shoulders.
Those who didn't know Artemis were introduced, and Adam's real name was a joke for a while, before Connie and Julie started shooting Artemis dark looks, telling her to get on with it. Artemis looked at them helplessly, and the guys started to wonder why they had all been bothered and brought into the girls' dorm, which they could get in major trouble for.
"Those weak of stomach are advised to leave." Julie said darkly, catching they guy's attention, and they all, yes all of them, focused on her. "Go ahead, Artemis. Oh, and for all present, anyone who so much as looks at Artemis weird or treats her anything resembling not total respect after this, I will personally de-ball." All the guys shot each other confused and/or worried looks, and Artemis stood up, drawing everyone attention to her.
With a gulp, she let the blanket down.
(a/n: I suck at cliffies! Lol, read and review, and I'll get more out soon ASAP. Flames not appreciated, but constructive criticism isn't minded, but please be gentle. I'm easily offended and angered. Love and everything, Fyre Eye. P.S. Review, cuz I like 'em =))
Sketch
Artemis Banks sighed uncomfortably in the limo, which she currently sat in. She was 100% frustrated with her parents, with her life, with everything. Magically out of no where, her mother decided that she's a burden, so she just sent Artemis off, as if she was a soulless, feeling less, rag doll. Ever since her parents got divorced, and her mother re-married, she'd been treated as a burden, which truly hurt Artemis.
Her biological father was rich (hence the limo) and he paid to send Artemis to the school where her twin brother attended, just because he didn't want to deal with her either. Kenny, the man her mother re-married, claimed Artemis a waste of space and a waste of money, so she was just cast away. Kenny was abusive towards Artemis mentally and physically, so she was relieved to leave him but she worried for her mother. She never believed Artemis, when her daughter tried to tell her, but now she was with him alone, and Kenny had no one else to release his frustration on.
Artemis hadn't seen Helios for a while, and was actually excited to see him. Their mother was going through a rather weird stage at the time of her twins' birth, and she named them both after a mythological god and goddess. Helios, meaning god of the sun, was born at dawn, and Artemis, which meant goddess of the moon, just a few minutes earlier, under the full moon.
"Miss Artemis, we've arrived." Said the limo driver, Artemis didn't catch his name, but she nodded stiffly, and gathered her backpack, ice skates, suitcase, and drawing pad in her arms without word. The limo stopped without so much as another remark spoken by either, and the chauffer opened the door for Artemis, who just nodded once at him, and headed away. She was naturally quiet and modest, and wasn't known for being overly outgoing.
She didn't expect Helios to show, and he hadn't. Artemis would've had a heart attack if he had even known that she was coming at all. She walked quickly to the dean's office and sat in a waiting room. The secretary, an older African American woman smiled softly at Artemis. "Whatcha here for, honey?" She asked kindly, smiling.
"I've just been enrolled, I was told to come here ma'am." Artemis replied both quietly and politely.
"Don't ma'am me, honey. I'm not **that** old." The woman replied, smiling again. "Well, you can call me Mrs. Wise, because that's my name. You go right on in."
"Thank you ma'a—Mrs. Wise." Artemis caught herself just in time and walked thru the door labeled 'Dean's Office.' The dean was a threatening looking man, with white hair, and a receding hairline. He grimaced when the girl walked in.
"What have you done?" The dean asked harshly and sat behind his desk, grabbing files from his drawers. "And state your name, you haven't been here before."
"That's because I've just enrolled. I was supposed to come here to receive my schedule and dorm number. My name is Artemis Lana Janine Banks." Artemis replied.
"Thank God. I'm sick enough of calling people's parents. Welcome to Eden Hall. I'm sure that you'll fit right in. Yes! Here are your things. Well, go along and get situated, there aren't any classes on Saturdays. Well off you go. Have a nice day." The dean said quickly and practically shoved Artemis out the door.
"Well, goodbye Mrs. Wise." Artemis said with a slight wave and quickly headed out the door, still carrying her things.
Artemis bit her lip looking at one of the papers that the dean had handed her. It said her dorm was number 1256, but she couldn't find it for her life. She was walking quickly, now that she was in a hallway with virtually no dorms in it, and she accidentally ran into someone. Her drawings spread out from her sketchbook. "No!" She cried and hurried to gather all of her things. The guy she ran into knelt down and began to pick up the pictures, but he stopped upon actually seeing one of them.
"Wow, these are excellent." He said, examining a few of them. He looked Asian, but he had a Californian mixed in with his Asian accent. He was a bit taller than her and he had shoulder length ebony hair, and dark chocolate coloured eyes.
"Thank you." Artemis whispered back and began to pick the rest of her pictures up. "Do you know where room twelve-fifty-six is?" She asked him, praying he did.
"Yeah, two of my friends bunk there. You must be their new roommate. They're great. Their names are Connie Moreau and Julie Gaffni." The Asian boy replied with a smile.
"But what is your name?" Artemis asked back. "I'm Artemis."
"Artemis?" He asked, and she nodded. "Cool. My name's Kenneth Wu, but everyone calls me Kenny or Ken." He answered.
Artemis cocked a brow at him. "I've heard that name before."
Ken shrugged. "A few years back I was in the Olympics, and then I was on the Mighty Ducks, the group that got first in hockey."
Artemis' eyes widened. "Oh! Then you know my brother. Helios!" Artemis grinned. "He was on the Mighty Ducks as well!"
"Helios?" Ken asked skeptically. "Sorry, I don't know a Helios, sorry." Artemis bit her lip again, tears welling at the bottom of her eyes. "Does he have a nickname?" Ken asked quickly. Artemis shook her head but then shrugged. "Does he go here?" He asked. Artemis nodded. "Well, then let's gather the ducks. You get to find your brother, and I can make fun of someone about the name Helios."
Artemis smiled and nodded back. "Come on!" He held out a hand to her, after she was positive that she had all of her pictures. She eyed his hand cautiously at first, but then she took it, and she let him lead her toward what she guessed was her dorm.
She was right.
(a/n: long paragraph, wasn't it?) Artemis smiled when they got to dorm 1256 without further incident, though she was still holding Ken's hand, almost unknowingly, and ignoring the slight tingling feeling in the pit of her stomach. "Here you go, Artemis." He smirked. She smiled slightly back, and she walked in, Kenny on her heels.
"Yo! Cons! Jules! Roomy here!" Kenny called, grinning.
"Go away Kenny, don't you know how to knock?!" Julie called back, but Connie seemed to actually listen to what he said, and she emerged from an adjoining room.
"Roomy?" She asked skeptically, and then she saw Artemis, and called out for Julie. "Hi!" She smiled brightly. "I'm Connie, and I'm quite sure anything and everything that Kenny said about me is a lie. Nice to meet you. You can take that bed." She pointed to the bed next to the window, and Julie, or who Artemis guessed was Julie walked into the room.
"Hi, I'm Julie. Who're you?" Julie asked Artemis, ignoring Kenny.
"I'm Artemis."
"She says her brother's a Mighty Duck, but his name is Helios." Kenny added in. Connie and Julie looked at each other. "Yeah, I told her that there isn't a Mighty Duck named Helios, but I'm guessing he has a nickname." Kenny added and Julie and Connie nodded at that. It made sense.
"Well let's go!" Julie said, getting straight to business as usual, but not before noticing Kenny and Artemis holding hands. She smiled mischievously, and led the way. "Don't even leave your skates." She added to Artemis, as she was about to put them down. "We're going to the rink." Artemis shrugged, and pulled her skates back on her shoulder.
"Come on Goldberg! You coulda blocked that one!" Charlie Conway laughed to Greg Goldberg, who just rolled his eyes in exasperation.
"You be goalie then Charlie." Goldberg answered and rolled his eyes.
"Duck alert." Guy Germaine said, motioning to the group of three and Artemis.
"Come on Luis, stop, you've done it before." Adam Banks laughed from across the rink at Luis Mendoza, who was having problems with something he thought he'd resolved for good.
"Shut up Adam." Luis groaned as he fell. "Just shut up!"
"What?" Adam asked innocently, helping Luis up. "Come on Luis, looks like something's happening. Do you think you can managed to stop over there?" He asked, and skated away from Luis before the Spanish teen could react.
"I'm gonna kill you Banks." Luis threatened and sped after his friend.
"Guys, stop it." Charlie spoke to Luis and Adam who quickly did as they were told. Something was up. "Julie and Connie want you to meet their new roommate."
Artemis stepped forward and opened her mouth, but then she closed it upon seeing Adam. "Ohmigod! Helios!" She shrieked and launched herself at Adam, who twirled her around hugging her, laughing.
"What are you doing here Art?" Adam asked.
"Well, Kenny started beating me up, so Mom sent me to Dad, but Dad didn't want me either so, ta da, here I am." Artemis answered softly, and rather sarcastically at the same time. A few of the other Ducks there looked at Kenny Wu with a little shock and confusion in their expressions. Artemis noticed that and continued. "And while I was hopelessly searching for my dorm, I ran into Ken, here, and he rescued me from total nervous breakdown. And then I told them that my brother was on the Mighty Ducks, and when I told him that my brother's name was Helios he said there wasn't a Helios on the team. I must admit I'm confused."
Then a large amount of laughing interrupted her. "He-Helios?" Luis asked, doubling over, laughing hysterically. "You're real name . . . is Helios?!"
Artemis walked up to Luis though she was still in her sneakers on the ice. She pushed him, a little roughly, and because he wasn't expecting it, he fell. "Yeah and is there a problem with that?" She asked him dangerously. Adam, or Helios, pulled her away from Luis.
"Yo Art, calm down." Adam warned. "He didn't mean anything, okay."
Artemis brightened after a moment, and held out a hand to help Luis up, which he took after a slight hesitation. "Sorry about that. I just reacted. My stepfather made fun of my and Helios's names, and I just . . . well, sorry."
"S'okay." Luis answered, and snickered again at the thought of Adam's real name.
"That's why I go by my middle name. My whole name is: Helios Adam Bryan Banks." Adam explained. "And this is my twin sister, Artemis Lana Janine Banks, I call her Art for short, though." Then he turned his attention to his sister. "Sorry 'bout Kenny, but I always knew that he was bad news." Artemis nodded in agreement.
"People, can we please stop calling him Kenny, he's ruining my good name." Ken joked. Adam and Artemis nodded in agreement.
"Thanks for saving Art from total mental nervous breakdown. She can use every once of brain power she can get." And skated just enough out so that Art couldn't follow without putting her skates on. Helpless on that level, she just stuck her tongue out at him, and Adam laughed.
"Somebody that can get out there, go beat him up." Artemis mumbled, causing a bunch of the other ducks there to grin.
"You play hockey?" Charlie asked with interest, eyeing her skates. Artemis laughed.
"Me?" She asked, still laughing softly. "With . . . uh . . . **my** stepfather?" Adam skated back to the group, now that Artemis didn't look like she was going to kill him.
"Why is it bad to have her stepfather and hockey mixing?" Connie asked.
"Kenny?" Adam asked, and then smiled apologetically at Ken. "He, not you Ken, was a total jerk. He said women shouldn't and can't play hockey. He said they should just cook and clean, because that's all they're good for." Adam answered frowning. "He should meet you too." He indicated Julie and Connie, who both wore angry and offended looks, while Artemis was still laughing.
Artemis calmed herself. "Well, I mainly figure skate, and I play almost a million musical instruments. I dance, too, and I fight. Tae Kwon Do lessons. Black belt, thank you. Though my stepfather doesn't know." Artemis grinned. "I like having friends in high places. But who wouldn't?"
"Multi-talented?" Charlie asked, amazed. "Well, let me know if you ever wanna play hockey. We'd love to have you on the team."
"Speaking of the team, where is everybody else?" Julie asked, looking around.
"Well, Portman's around somewhere, probably babe-watching with Fulton. Why? Jealous?" Guy asked, laughing.
"Shove it Germaine. Connie, I'm sorry to inform you, but if your boyfriend doesn't shut up and get over the fact that I don't like Dean, he shall become . . . let's put it nicely. De-balled." Julie grinned. Guy backed away from Julie as quickly as he could, and all of the guys around Julie shifted nervously. Connie laughed for a moment before realizing that Julie was quite serious.
"You have nice friends, uh, Adam is it?" Artemis said wryly. Adam shrugged and nodded.
Kenny tuned serious. "At least don't tell the Varsity his real name. They'd be worse than usual." Everyone there (not counting Artemis) nodded in agreement. "And they suck as it is."
Artemis grinned. "Project." She whispered and rubbed her hands together, a plan already forming in her head.
Artemis propped her back against the edge of Connie's bed, as Connie brushed Artemis's sandy brown hair, styling it randomly, and just having fun. "Artemis, why don't you change into pajamas, it would be easier. The hood on your shirt keeps getting in the way.
"I'd rather not, if that's okay." Artemis said, her eyes shifting nervously.
"Come on, Artemis, what's up? You can trust us. We're your roomies, and we promise, we won't tell," Julie stifled a giggle as she continued, "Helios."
"Fine. I'll be right back." Artemis got up and pulled her pajamas out of her bag and went into their inset half-bathroom to change. She came back in a spaghetti strap light blue shirt, and a pair of purple and black silk boxers. But that really wasn't the problem. She had horrible bruises and scars and opened wounds. Some didn't look healed at all. It looked like someone had attacked her with a very sharp knife.
"And remember, you said you wouldn't tell my brother." Artemis said in reminder, as they gawked.
"Okay, I expected a tattoo. Never this." Julie replied, horrorstruck. "We have to tell Adam, and the others, and the police while we're at it. This isn't just being beaten up. This is serious **serious** abuse, Artemis. I'm surprised you even lived through that. It looks gruesome."
Artemis refused to look either of them in the eyes. "You said that I could trust you." She said, her voice full of hurt, but neither of the other girl's opinions wavered. "Please. Don't tell. I can take care of myself. Just don't tell them. They'll treat me differently. They'll treat me like a freak. Everyone else has."
Connie looked at Artemis, and was surprised to find tears streaking down her cheeks. She motioned for Artemis to come sit beside her and Artemis obliged. Connie began running her fingers through Artemis's hair soothingly. "Oh, Artemis, none of the guys would ever do that. And if they do, I'll have Julie de-ball them." Connie smiled softly, and relaxed some when Artemis let out a small giggle.
It kind of frightened Julie though. Artemis had to be at least her age, or a bit older, and she acted so timid, like someone much younger, and she was just so unsure of herself and her standing in life. She took a hint from Connie though. "Yeah, I'll even de-ball Dean if he so much as looks at you funny."
"Which says a lot, 'cause she likes him." Connie added innocently, and smirked at a glare that Julie sent her. Artemis nodded.
"All right, I guess. If you're sure that they won't treat me like a freak." Artemis said, sighing.
"No problem there. Though they all might want to beat your stepfather to death." Connie said thoughtfully. Artemis shrugged. "Jules, go ahead and tell the guys to get their arses over here. All of them."
"Yes ma'am, right away ma'am." Julie saluted and headed away towards the phone in their room. (a/n: each dorm comes equip with one . . . picture a hotel =))
"They're on their way." Julie said, upon returning a little bit later.
Artemis wrapped herself in a blanket, not wanting them to see her until absolutely necessary. "Did you tell them any details?" Artemis asked Julie, who shook her head. "Good. At least I'll be treated normal for a little while." Connie looked at Julie and shrugged helplessly, and Julie returned the gesture.
Dwayne Robertson, Guy, Les Averman, and Charlie arrived together, first, and Dwayne, Averman, and Artemis were introduced. Artemis just spoke a greeting to them, still hiding under her blanket. They talked a few minutes before Goldberg, Adam, Fulton Reed, and Portman arrived. Russ Tyler, Luis, and Ken were the last, Ken's hair was still wet from a shower, and a towel was draped over his shoulders.
Those who didn't know Artemis were introduced, and Adam's real name was a joke for a while, before Connie and Julie started shooting Artemis dark looks, telling her to get on with it. Artemis looked at them helplessly, and the guys started to wonder why they had all been bothered and brought into the girls' dorm, which they could get in major trouble for.
"Those weak of stomach are advised to leave." Julie said darkly, catching they guy's attention, and they all, yes all of them, focused on her. "Go ahead, Artemis. Oh, and for all present, anyone who so much as looks at Artemis weird or treats her anything resembling not total respect after this, I will personally de-ball." All the guys shot each other confused and/or worried looks, and Artemis stood up, drawing everyone attention to her.
With a gulp, she let the blanket down.
(a/n: I suck at cliffies! Lol, read and review, and I'll get more out soon ASAP. Flames not appreciated, but constructive criticism isn't minded, but please be gentle. I'm easily offended and angered. Love and everything, Fyre Eye. P.S. Review, cuz I like 'em =))