Loyalty
AU. Not connected with my Mask universe, but I just couldn't resist because I was hearing Mordred's Lullaby, and…this idea was born. Never fear, Mask readers, the next chapter is almost out! I slightly altered the lyrics—it actually says "your father's a thief," but for the purposes of the story, I changed it to uncle. You'll understand. Just to make it clear, I don't own the song. Like I don't own Sky High.
Here, Warren's mother isn't different just in name from Helena Peace of Mask. She both loves her son and hates her family for what they did to hers.
Hush, child
The darkness will rise from the deep
And carry you down into sleep
Work-worn fingers turning the pages of an album stopped on one. Dark eyes fixed on a photograph, colors slightly garish and faded with age, but still capturing the memory perfectly.
"All ready." Michelle Stronghold backed away. Her eyes widened in wonder, then filled with something shining and silver.
"How does it look?" Melody Stronghold shifted, eyes wide and hopeful.
Michelle's tongue darted out to moisten her lips. She smiled softly at Melody.
"Perfect."
Melody Peace closed her eyes, unsuccessfully, as a single drop of liquid diamond escaped.
Steve Stronghold's eyes widened with wonder as a radiant Melody left the room. His smaller sister drew close, her eyes shining.
"You look gorgeous, sis."
"Is that sarcasm, or genuine?" Melody's lips quirked into a slightly more sly grin.
"Genuine. One hundred percent." Steve's face grew serious as he put his hands on his little sister's shoulders. "You look absolutely perfect. Dad will be so proud."
"I'll what?" Jim Stronghold's large figure filled the door. Melody and Steve both turned.
"Hey, Dad." Melody sounded a little breathless, but then her smile widened.
Jim's eyes filled with tenderness as they lingered over his children. One had just become engaged to Josie DeMarco, an old classmate, even as his daughter was marrying her high school sweetheart, Chris Battle.
Time certainly could fly. He moved forward and laid both hands on his daughter's shoulders. He didn't risk an outright hug just yet, for fear of crumpling her dress, and Melody breathed a silent prayer of thanks. Usually her dad hardly even knew his own superstrength, but he could be gentle when he tried.
"Big day, hmm?" he asked softly.
Melody nodded, eyes brilliant. "I'm nervous," she confessed.
"Everyone is. When their time comes. But there's nothing to be nervous about."
A bitter smile twisted Melody Peace—she'd changed her name from Battle to protect her identity years ago, and she hadn't been Melody Stronghold for quite a few years. Not since…she shut her eyes.
Nothing to be nervous about. They certainly didn't think that in retrospect. Yet who could have known that her husband would turn on the world, announcing himself as Baron Battle, when their first child was just born? They definitely must have had reason to fear her. None of her family had spoken to her since. At least her husband did that, when she could visit him in prison. When agents tried to track her down, when everyone was crucifying her, what had her brother done? What had he said to defend his supposedly precious sister?
Nothing. His reputation mattered more than family loyalty.
Most people questioned her intentions, wondering why she hadn't left him when he turned. But they didn't love him. They hadn't known him and lived with him. And they didn't have a son by him whom they had to look after.
"Mommy, are you crying?"
Dark, silky hair brushed Melody's arm as Warren Peace—he too had had his name changed when Melody went on the Lam, leaned his three-year-old self over the album. Eyes, wide, dark, and utterly innocent, looked up into her own.
Guileless son,
I'll shape your belief
And you'll always know
That your uncle's a thief
And you won't understand
the cause of your grief,
but you'll always follow
the voices beneath.
Melody Peace smiled tearily at her son. "No, honey." She pointed at the photograph. "Just remembering."
Warren's chubby hand went to the photograph. His small index finger pointed imperiously. "Who's that?"
"Me. That's from when I married your daddy."
"Where's daddy now?"
Melody closed her eyes. She'd heard that question dozens of times, but for a while, she had to give the same answer. "He went away, sweetie. He had to. You know that. Some people made him have to go away for a long time."
Warren's dark brows furrowed.
"I don't like those people," he stated with all the dogmatic certainty of childhood.
Melody stared down at her son. He didn't seem to notice the strange look in her eyes, but turned back to the old photograph. "Who's that?"
Melody Peace felt her chest tighten. "My brother," she said in a strained voice. "Your uncle."
"I have a uncle?" Warren gazed up at his mother. "Why don't we ever see him?"
Melody closed her eyes and clenched her hands. He had to hear it sometime. She had a chance to make sure Warren's young mind was free of any poison or lies, anything but the truth she chose to tell him.
"Because he was one of the ones who made Daddy have to go away. He doesn't like us, Warren. He…hates me because I married your father. And he hates you because of your father." Her voice cracked halfway through it.
"Why?" Warren's dark eyes looked wide and wet, like a kicked puppy.
Melody Stronghold-Battle-Peace took deep, shaking breaths. Not now. Warren could know later. Not now. She leaned down and kissed him.
"It's…complicated, sweetheart. But I'll tell you when you're old enough to hear it. I promise."
Loyalty
Loyalty
Loyalty
Loyalty only to me
Years later, an older and no longer innocent Warren Peace went to Sky High. And when he heard about Will Stronghold coming to school, his fists clenched to suppress the fire boiling in his veins. Inwardly, though, he smiled bitterly at the prospect of meeting the son of his uncle face to face.
Steve Stronghold's fists clenched as he listened to Principal Power's explanation of his son's fight. He'd never figured out where his sister fled to after the whole scandal involving Baron Battle.
He'd been shocked, to say the least, and horrified, to learn that his sister had been living with a murdering villain for months, until they caught him and took him away. She'd even had a child with the bastard—but that was when they all trusted him. He and Josie (for they'd just gotten married themselves) had even been present. They thought he was a true hero, and Melody was lucky to have him.
When Baron Battle turned, he refused all contact with his sister. People probably thought he was being heartless. In reality, he felt so furious and hurt at his sister's inexplicable silent betrayal that he stayed away for her sake. Otherwise, he might have exploded if he heard her voice. How could she do it?
He thought he knew Melody. He was obviously wrong.
But when Steve heard that Warren Peace, the pyrokinetic who attacked his son in the cafeteria was none other than the son of Baron Battle and his traitor of a sister, and when he heard of how Will beat the punk, he had to smile.
It was…fitting, to say the least. Will had, at any rate, gotten the better of that boy. Good riddance.
Steve couldn't help thinking of what would have happened if his brother-in-law hadn't gone dark. He would have known the boy Warren, perhaps taken him fishing, played ball with him. The boy would have had good influence. He…he could have been an uncle. But Melody and Chris Battle had stolen that chance of any family happiness. Steve shook his head to clear any moisture in his eyes.
Guileless son,
Your spirit will hate her
The flower who married
My brother the traitor
When Will came home, Steve went along with his wife's angry ploy. But then he took Will down to the Sanctum and gave him an X-box, praised his first time powering up. He felt so proud of his boy he could burst. Will would be a true hero, even if his sister—but she wasn't his sister. If she'd had any concern for the family, if she'd ever loved him or them, she wouldn't have gone on loving that bastard.
Will knocked his dad's character off a cliff, then noticed his father's faraway expression and clenched jaw. "What's wrong, Dad?"
Steve turned and saw his son's eyes, blue and innocent. He never knew he'd even had an aunt, or a cousin, because Steve had never told him. He'd never brought up the rest of the family that Will didn't know.
He sighed heavily. "Will…I was just thinking about Baron Battle."
"Oh." Will shrugged. "Don't worry about him, Dad. Worry about me kicking your butt here and now!"
Steve closed his eyes. It was time, he supposed. Time Will knew the truth. He'd find out eventually. Better from him than from anyone else—perhaps, God forbid, his nephew.
"Will—pause the game, would you? I think it's time we had a little chat."
Will heard the story with widening eyes. At the end, he blurted, "Dad, why didn't you tell me?"
Steve sighed heavily. "Because I didn't want you to know. I don't really like talking about it."
"But Dad, I didn't know Warren was my-,"
"For a reason. Will, Baron Battle was a villain. He killed people, and you know what my sister did while he was burning Maxville? Nothing."
Will's eyes looked wide, slightly horrified. Such behavior seemed to shock him, and Steve felt well pleased to see it. He had brought Will up right, after all. At least he wouldn't become like his nephew. His son, he could make sure, learned the truth. His sister, he hadn't been able to save. But his son he could keep.
Loyalty
Loyalty
Loyalty
Loyalty only to me
Reviews are love! They don't have to be long, but please, if you read it and you liked anything at all, if you hated anything at all, if you had any thoughts whatsoever on this story, please comment! I have NO WAY of knowing what people think if they don't let me know. I seriously welcome chances to improve.
Oh, and to anyone who's read before...I took down the second chapter. I just figured that everyone who'd seen the reason for it had probably read the story by now and so there was no point. This was supposed to be a ONEshot, so I'll leave it at that. And technically, I think a chapter being an Author's Note is not allowed...anyway. But the story itself is still intact, never fear. :)